Cult Instrumental & Electronic Musician Michael Bell Has Died

Brooklyn/Phoenix electronic and instrumental-rock luminary Michael Bell — one-half of cult-favourite outfit Lymbyc Systym, in whom he performed with brother Jared — has passed away of unspecified causes.

The news was confirmed by Christopher King of post-rock mainstays This Will Destroy You — who went so far as to say that his band "would not exist without Michael Bell" — while Lymbyc Systym's one-time local label, Hobbledehoy Records, also expressed their sadness at the loss.

"Besides being one of my closest friends and mentors and the most incredible live drummer I have ever seen — Jared and Mike took us on our first tour after I met them in San Antonio at the White Lion back in 2005," King recounted in his heartfelt post.

"I was blown away with their EP Carved By Glaciers and almost felt starstruck meeting them and very shyly giving them the rough mix of [debut 2005 EP] Young Mountain. Since that day I have seen almost every continent with the Bell brothers and experienced everything and anything possible with them."

King went on to describe Bell as "a beautiful person who dedicated everything he had to make art", as well as sending condolences to the late musician's family.

"My heart goes out to the Bell family and to Jared, who I have always looked up to and had immense respect for in the music and art realm," King concluded. "I sit here crying on my keyboard out of shock writing this but I will NEVER forget you Ma Bell, and will always love the memories we shared. Love forever, Christopher Royal King."

Meanwhile, Tom Majerczak of Hobbledehoy opined: "Yesterday I received the terrible news we lost Mike Bell of Lymbyc Systym. It was an honour to have worked with you, Mike."

Lymbyc Systym formed, depending on who you ask, 11 years ago (according to their Bandcamp) or in 2001 (Wikipedia). What is clear, however, is that their first release, the Carved By Glaciers EP — of which King spoke so highly in his post — definitely arrived in 2005, setting the stage for an acclaimed body of work to follow that included four studio albums (2007's Love Your Abuser, 2009's Shutter Release, 2012's Symbolyst and 2015's Split Stones) as well as a handful of other EPs (a split in 2009 with This Will Destroy You, titled Field Studies, as well as this year's New Varieties four-tracker) and other projects.

Though not commercially widely known, Lymbyc Systym eked out an exceptionally well-regarded and highly influential underground presence in the early-21st-century international post-rock community (and surrounds), having not only left on their contemporaries an impact such as that recounted by King but also in terms of touring alongside the likes of fellow alternative icons such as Broken Social Scene, The Album Leaf, Foxing, Crystal Castles and even legendary guitarist Buckethead.

If you haven't previously introduced yourself to Lymbyc Systym's work, find your way in with Truth Skull, from their debut album, Love Your Abuser, below, and then make your way through the rest of their incredible back-catalogue on Bandcamp. You won't regret it for a millisecond.

If you're feeling especially saucy, you can pick up Shutter Release at Hobbledehoy's online store.

 

Yesterday I received the terrible news we lost Mike Bell of Lymbyc Systym. It was a honor to have worked with you, Mike.

A photo posted by Hobbledehoy Record Co (@hobbledehoyrecords) on Nov 16, 2016 at 2:57pm PST