Sam Spiegel announces zany Maximum Hedrum project

By Mikael Wood

Nov. 29, 2012 12 AM PT

Given the rate at which left-field super-groups have proliferated over the last few years -- Atoms for Peace! Them Crooked Vultures! Monsters of Folk! -- it was probably inevitable that we’d eventually end up with one as wacky as Maximum Hedrum, the new project from L.A.-based DJ and producer Sam Spiegel.

Inspired by “the way our lives are changing through advancements in technology and the Internet,” according to a release, Maximum Hedrum finds Spiegel (the younger brother of film director Spike Jonze) teaming with Sepultura frontman Derrick Green and Harold Faltermeyer, best known for his synthed-up movie scores for “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Top Gun.”

Spiegel has done the mix-and-match thing before. In 2009 he and the Brazilian DJ Zegon released “The Spirit of Apollo,” the debut album by their duo N.A.S.A., with appearances by the likes of Kanye West, Seu Jorge, Tom Waits and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Earlier this month N.A.S.A. released “Overdrive,” a new track slated to appear on an album due next summer.

Before that, though, Spiegel will concentrate on Maximum Hedrum, which will issue its self-titled debut on March 5. A pair of singles from the disc -- the hard-hitting “Synthesize” and “Keep in Touch,” featuring George Clinton -- are available to stream (via SoundCloud) below.

“Derrick has only ever screamed on metal and hardcore albums before, but on this album he’s crooning with his bass baritone voice like Isaac Hayes, and also singing crazy falsetto like Prince,” Spiegel said in the statement. “It’s really a departure from anything that either of us has ever done in the past.”

“I always imagined and desired to use my voice in as many ways as imaginable,” added Green. “The combination of working together with Sam Spiegel has opened many possibilities to expand the boundaries of music. The idea of Maximum Hedrum is to break down all concepts and barriers of the mind and explore the unknown fearlessly.”

On Jan. 14 the group is scheduled to launch a residency at L.A.’s Los Globos. We look forward to seeing the guest list.