Pitchfork

Forget pigs-- 2007 is shaping up to be the year of the Herren. As in, Guillermo Scott Herren. The Prefuse 73/Savath & Savalas/A Cloud Mireya mastermind returns this spring with a Prefuse double-album, a new Savath LP, and even some trans-Pacific production work.

But first, the Prefuse double-disc. "It has been a joy to make, yet possibly the hardest," Herren told Pitchfork recently via e-mail. Of the two records, one contains "the next round of beats and madness," while on the other Prefuse took the beats in question and "notated [them] via cello, flute, clarinet, and voice into what some would consider 'modern classical' or heavily influenced by 'italian' soundtracks.

"Those curious enough and interested in those beats being interpreted as compositions will see a side of my music that I'm not even used to," according to Herren. Look for Prefuse's as-yet-untitled two-scooper this June on Warp. UPDATE: NO RELEASE TIMETABLE HAS BEEN SET FOR THIS ALBUM

Since preparing two albums just isn't enough, Herren's also gearing up to reveal the latest Savath & Savalas disc, which Anti- will tentatively release in June. Golden Pollen follows up 2004's Apropa't full-length and Mañana EP and features guest appearances from Herren's wife/A Cloud Mireya co-conspirator/School of Seven Bells member Claudia Deheza, Warp labelmate and Battles principal Tyondai Braxton, Triosk drummer Laurence Pike, and car commercial crooner José González, "who kills it in his Argentine accent that no one has gotten the pleasure to hear yet."

Despite the guest spots, Golden Pollen consists mainly of "me alone with a guitar and whatever else," said Herren. The disc, produced in part by John McEntire (of Tortoise and the Sea and Cake) and mastered by Dave Cooley (who's mastered or produced everything from J Dilla to Silversun Pickups to Karen Dalton), features cover art by Soft Circle's Hisham Bharoocha.

According to Herren, Golden Pollen presents "another challenge [to] people's patience in transcending language in music, as it is still strictly in Español lyrically once again. I'm just trying to send all the love I've gotten back with this one. I really want people to hear music related to my culture and other cultures without any novelty or going over the top with it."

In related news, Hisham's brother Hashim (anagrams! cute!) and Herren have been working with veteran Japanese MC Twigy, who's collaborated with Boredoms' Eye, among others. Prefuse produced Twigy's latest, Akasatana, and composed all the beats. The disc, out via Rush Japan in spring, features guest appearances by Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Murs and the Grouch, Aloe Blacc, and more.

"It's the weirdest album I've ever had to produce, just based on the variation and diversity of the tracks," said Herren. "I watched him choose the most fucked up and challenging beats to calmly write to...I had to actually think twice about it because some seemed way too noisy or not so 'MC-friendly.'

"Of course, it took several listens to take it all in but I was beyond impressed. Here is this calm, humble, quiet man, just throwing fire back at me over odd beats from my entire catalog."

Prefuse doesn't have any immediate tour plans, but according to his website he'll be playing gigs in April with Battles.