Hot Mustard is back in the kitchen, and they’re cooking up something wild. The critically acclaimed, award-winning instrumental duo has already built a reputation for crafting genre-bending soundscapes that stir together late ’60s and early ’70s funk, soul, and library music with the punch and grit of golden-era boom-bap hip-hop. Their latest single, “Hall of Giants,” only further proves that they’re not just riding the wave—they’re steering it. As the opening track to their forthcoming album Monster Season, it’s an unapologetic, swagger-filled declaration that Hot Mustard is not only here, but they’re thriving in their own meticulously curated sonic universe.
“Hall of Giants” doesn’t waste time. Right out of the gate, it delivers a hypnotic blend of vintage textures and modern grit, with layers that feel as carefully assembled as they are effortlessly cool. There’s an electric energy running through the entire track, as if the duo knew this was the moment to crank up the heat. At the heart of it all is the unexpected and mesmerizing theremin work of Via Mardot, whose spectral tones float over the groove like a ghost from another dimension. Add in the metallic ring of the Marxophone, some well-timed tubular bells, and suddenly you’re in a soundscape that feels both grounded and otherworldly. It’s all tied together by the sharp, airtight drumming of AJ Hall and the additional rhythmic punch from Wes Powers, who was quite literally giving drum lessons to Jack Powell’s kids when he got roped into the session. These personal, almost serendipitous connections seem to be part of what makes Hot Mustard’s music feel so alive and organic, even when it’s being meticulously pieced together.
And speaking of piecing things together, the music video for “Hall of Giants” is a masterpiece all on its own. Created by Jack Powell under his Opus Thimble Studios moniker, it’s a swirling, surreal collage of archival footage, warped educational films, propaganda clips, and old home videos. It’s unsettling and beautiful, like watching lost memories get reassembled into some new, unrecognizable form. Powell has this uncanny ability to completely remove historical context from his source material and rebuild it into an abstract visual narrative that somehow syncs perfectly with the track’s mood. It’s art imitating art, on repeat.
“Hall of Giants” lands as the latest in a string of innovative releases from Hot Mustard, following the high-energy “Birdwatcher” and their earlier work on Seconds. With each release, they continue to blur the lines between past and present, combining analog warmth with digital precision, and honoring classic sounds while creating something undeniably modern. And if the roster of collaborators on this track is any indication—featuring artists connected to legends like Amy Winehouse, Antibalas, Arcade Fire, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings—Hot Mustard is attracting the kind of talent that recognizes the duo’s unique vision and wants to be part of it.
There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when musicians are deeply invested in the craft of world-building. Hot Mustard doesn’t just write songs; they construct entire ecosystems of sound and visuals, each release expanding the borders of their universe. “Hall of Giants” isn’t just a song—it’s an invitation to step into that universe, to get lost in the layers, and to trust that wherever they’re leading, it’s somewhere worth going. With Monster Season on the horizon, it’s clear that Hot Mustard has only just begun to show us what they’re capable of, and honestly, the rest of us are just lucky to be along for the ride.
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