Wegrzyn - Volksmusik

[Click on image for Official Wegryzn website]

Country - Poland

Composer - Lukasz Wegrzyn

Released - March 2014

 

- Tracklist -

1. The Orchid

2. Weather Report

3. Eleven Summers

 

- Review -

A new release from one of my favourite ambient labels, Etalabel, Volksmusik is the debut of Lukasz Wegrzyn. From a quick glance, it may seem like a small attempt at only three songs, but all pieces are above ten minutes (Eleven Summers being over twenty minutes in length) so it is still a fair sized album. The time on each piece is more than enough to send the listener onto a journey into Wegrzyn's world.

 

When listening through the album, it isn't all soft touch, at the end of 'The Orchard' harsh static finishes the piece off, and at the end of 'Weather Report' too, albeit a little deeper and less piercing. these songs don't flow into each other, and this completely offsets the mellow introductions to the songs (the piano within 'The Orchard' is just beautiful). My take in this is that each song represents a story, not just the entire album. Every one song represents an event, and when put together with others on an album, represents a life. the softer sections hold happier memories, and the harsher sections hold sadder, distressing memories. Life has ups and downs, compositional wise, this album has too.

 

This album is the story of a life, and Wegrzyn has decided to share it through music. He has only used piano for this music, and experimenting with the sounds on the piano has led to some interesting concepts. it's full of layers and as a result has a thick atmosphere. Lukasz is a wonderful, talented composer, and if Volksmusik is a taste of what to come, my ears eagerly await.



Support to Ukraine

You may or may not be aware, that tensions are rising in Ukraine. This worries me gravely as many innocent people could come to harm, all they want is the freedom of their country again. Two of these people I know personally, Oleg Shpudeiko (Heinali) and Sergiy Fjordsson (Moloch), I have reviewed albums of theirs in the past (and sure enough in the future) and both are appearing on the Compilation album I will be releasing (just hold on a couple of weeks).

I wish these two to keep safe, don't get into any trouble, and if anything goes too sour that the lives of them and their friends and family are threatened, to get out of the country as quick as possible.

I am sure if you are seeing this post, that I speak on behalf of you as well, Support these two in their struggling country, support everyone in Ukraine, as Russia is, as we speak, deciding aggressive action against those of Ukraine, all for a piece of land.

Keep safe, Oleg and Sergiy, my Ukrainian brothers. And to Ukraine, I hope all will be resolved peacefully.

North Atlantic Drift - Monuments

[Click on image for official North Atlantic Drift website]

Country - Canada

Composers - Brad Deschamps & Mike Abercrombie

Released - March 2013

- Tracklist -

1. Passing Time

2. Monuments

3. Concrete Oceans

4. Sandlab

5. I Have Never Seen the Light

6. Scholars of Time Travel (part II)

7. Sun Dial

- Review -

North Atlantic Drift...
Rightly named after a large ocean current, this project simply takes you away. It completely submerses you in it's Northaunt-esque atmosphere. But unlike Northaunt, it's a heavier balance of defined beat and seamless soundscapes. Songs like Concrete Oceans and Scholars of Time Travel (part II) give the listeners a ambient/electric cafe-noir sound (as I like to describe it) in sections, which I've come to adore, especially in Concrete Oceans. The full on ambient sections such as Passing Time and the ominous Sandlab work especially well as breaking points for the album, like a 'calm down' between more involved songs, and as I said before, remind me of much of Northaunt.

The great thing about this subtle mix of music, is that it flows on in a perceivable way, once listening to the beat/soundscape structure of the first few songs, it sticks in your head, you can feel it, even through the complete ambient sections of the album, and it really helps give, basically an invisible, affect on the rest of the album. I'm not even close to calling any of these songs 'infectious' because it still sits deep within the ambient genre, but the extra beat involved in the music has certainly given it an unforgettable experience.

I don't usually single out certain songs when I write reviews, but I think for this album in particular, it certainly helps. and if you're wondering which song is my favorite, it's has to be Concrete Oceans, but alas this is an enjoyable album as a whole.

Black Polygons - Accalmie

[Click on image for official Black Polygons website]

Country - France

Composer - Cyril Rampal

Released - February 2013

- Tracklist -

1. In the Dead of Night

2. Whisper

3. Black Room

4. Amer

5. Ghost

6. Velvet

7. Accalmie

8. Burnt

9. Aphorisme

10. Ectoplasme

11. Brume

12. Denouement

- Review -

Black Polygons were once described as having some inspiration from Nine Inch Nails...

Really?

Whilst the industrial influence is definitely incorporated, never does Black Polygons sound as synthetic as NIN. No, this French electronica/ambient outfit seems much more similar to the likes of Desiderii Marginis and Polish projects like Virlyn and Bojanek. It's not complete seamless ambience, more of an ambient base, with a slow electronica influenced beat layered on top.

And it's dark... it does indeed have the grittiness that industrial genres supply. And it's deep as well, not only from a perceived atmospheric point of view, Electronica is often bass heavy, and the implementation of this in the music has given it a gut-twisting, low-end frequency. Black Polygons could easily fit within a full Dark Ambient playlist. 

Northaunt - Barren Land

[Click on image for official Northaunt website]

Country - Norway

Composer - Hærleif Langås

Released - 2004/2013

- Tracklist -

1. Dying Day / Dawn And Ashes

2. A Silent Battle

3. Kapp Farvel

4. Whiteout

5. Laid Bare Beneath The Stars

6. Just Another Cold Spring

7. Lost Days

8. Varghjerte

9. The Fire

10. Shadows Over The Barren Land

(2013 reissue)

11. Winter II

12. Hopeless Dreams

13. In the Midst of Life We Are in Death / Autumn Cold -Rain from the Stars

- Review -

I start the New Year reviews off with a classic, which has recently been reissued. Northaunt inevitably drove the ambient scene forward during the 1990’s and to this day still gives the world some amazing soundscapes, a band indeed worthy of recognition.

This dark Norwegian Hærleif Langås has given us ominous sounds for over a decade now, beginning with the ironically named Ominous Silence (2001), and three years’ experience afterwards, unleashed onto the world the album Barren Land (2004). This was the beginning of true haunting ambience, along with Atrium Carceri and Kammarheit. Most recently Barren Land was reissued in 2013 in a digipack format, which I was lucky to get my hands on.

Those familiar with the genre will already expect the sound Northaunt has to offer. But this really was my first time listening to Hærleif’s project, and I’m completely frozen solid now. This music is just cold, shivering, conjuring a bleak icy wasteland, you simply fall into it, and it’s mesmerizing. It’s a signature minimalist approach, heavily relying on field recordings, and for someone inexperienced this could go terribly wrong… sometimes recordings just don’t sit right with the rest of the music, or the atmosphere. But Northaunt, my god Northaunt have done this flawlessly, Hærleif has created what could be the most isolating album ever, the atmosphere is so thick… it drowns you (though very gently, it still has an airy whiff to it).

The only other band I can think of who can make music which literally freezes you is Parhelion, but with the history behind Northaunt, Barren Land is beyond anything else. For me there are three standout songs, and coincidentally they all follow one another on the album, ‘A Silent Battle’, ‘Kapp Farvel’ and ‘Whiteout’, listen to these and you will truly understand the nature of this album, and Northaunt itself.

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Take care, James

I'm hiring.

I've been thinking lately about the direction of this website, and the future it holds, I know that it can do well just as it is, but I want for of it, I want to expand it. 

At the moment, it is simply a site where I review albums within the Ambient/Electronic genre. But I really want to expand it to become a business venture. I am interested in it becoming a record label, and a music management company. 

I want to hire another one or two people to help me write more reviews, it's a beautiful job, basically listen to an album before going to sleep (this music actually has a tendency to make you sleepy) and write about the experience afterwards, no bad reviews, just good ones. I don't want to clutter the site with negative reviews.

I want to keep the site local at the moment, so any Australians interested send me a message. Once expanded, I will hire internationally.

Please please do this for me, music is a passion for me, help me grow this passion.

If you have any questions just inbox me, I'll be happy to answer.

My email: jsc.metal@gmail.com