Anyway, here are some album reviews. Enjoy.
Mogwai - 'Atomic'
Genre: post-rock, soundtrack
Favourite tracks: 'Ether', 'Bitterness Centrifuge', 'Pripyat', 'Are You A Dancer?'
This latest album from Scottish post-rock juggernauts Mogwai is actually the soundtrack to a documentary that examines the progression of the atomic age. No strangers to scoring film and TV (their score for the French TV series 'Les Revenants' is remarkable), Mogwai have done more than put together a solid post-rock album. 'Atomic', though entirely instrumental, tells a story. From the opening track 'Ether' to its closer 'Fat Man', this album glides between the exciting promise of the atomic age to its most haunting disasters.
While Mogwai's music has never been particularly upbeat, 'Atomic' is clearly one of their more sombre works. There is a sense of wonder and dread underpinning this whole album that no one moment is without. This is Mogwai's great achievement with 'Atomic'. The album invokes its subject matter perfectly yet Mogwai still sound like themselves - they never let their music become too bogged down in the strict concept behind these songs.
The grand sweeping strings and looming horns on this album are all carefully placed among the guitar and drum heavy arrangement Mogwai fans are used to. There is a distinct blending of Mogwai's signature sound with new elements that gives this album a sense of character and pace. The arrangements feel just as lively on the album's more sparse and pretty tracks such as 'Are You A Dancer' as they do on the more sonically dense songs on offer such as 'Bitterness Centrifuge'.
'Atomic' is intriguing and captivating from start to finish. As a Mogwai album and as a meditation on the advantages and pitfalls of living in an atomic world, this album triumphs with elegance.
You can listen to 'Ether' here:
Tim Hecker - 'Love Streams'
Genre: electronic, ambient, experimental
Favourite tracks: 'Violet Monumental I', 'Violet Monumental II', 'Castrati Stack', 'Voice Crack'
I have a huge amount of respect for Tim Hecker. He is responsible for some of my favourite ambient albums, including the astonishing 'Ravedeath 1972' which I still listen to fairly frequently. His music has always managed to create whole worlds of sound that blur the line between synthetic and authentic.
'Love Streams' is immediately recognisable as a bit of a side-step from the style Tim Hecker has been known for thus far. This album leans more heavily on starkly electronic elements. From the opening track the listener is treated to a bright synth playing wild arpeggios. As Tim Hecker likes to do, he fleshes out these tracks with a mixture of slightly dissonant sounds both acoustic and electronic.
On his past works, his ability to create challenging and evocative soundscapes has been Tim Hecker's strength. On 'Love Streams' I don't feel this extensive palette of sounds comes together in the challenging yet coherent way we expect from Tim Hecker. The broad strokes that emerge from the build of layered minutiae don't always result in something that feels particularly intriguing or well thought out. Occasionally there are ideas that come together as interesting sonic or textural moments on this album, but there seems to be a lack of direction with regards to the structure of these tracks and the album as a whole. Many reach a point of critical mass and sort of fade out without any real feeling of completeness. Compared to Tim Hecker's previous albums, this leaves 'Love Streams' feeling a bit disjointed and not very cohesive.
What I love about Tim Hecker's music is its ability to be challenging yet painfully evocative. There can be so much going on yet from track to track his albums are mesmerising in their build and execution of ambitious sonic ideas. 'Love Streams' didn't give me that feeling of focus and connectedness, leaving even its most interesting moments floating out in the open on their own.
You can listen to 'Castrati Stack' here:
Cicada - 'Farewell'
Genre: contemporary classical
Favourite tracks: 'Farewell (In a Pretentious Way)', 'Happily Ever After?', 'Breakaway', 'Meteoric Night', 'Boom Boom', 'What Do I Do'
I had previously never heard of Cicada, a contemporary classical group from Taiwan. As I understand it, this album consists of a selection of their earlier compositions chosen for their thematic connections rerecorded and collected into this new full length LP. If I hadn't have read that I would never have picked that this is a compilation album of sorts. The whole album feels so specifically attuned to this melancholic story of loss that it really conveys a sense of movement both musically and thematically.
The arrangement of Cicada's music is fairly stripped down. The band consists of a violinist, cellist, acoustic guitarist and pianist. I feel the steel string guitar adds a folk flavour not usually encountered in the genre, but other than that this album isn't offering anything particularly unique. It is simply a shining example of brilliant musicianship and composition. Each track is distinct and eventful, astonishingly pretty and elegant with a touch of melodrama. It's introspective music for a rainy day or a relaxing evening that stands firmly on its own passages of understated piano tinkling and gripping string melodies.
'Farewell' is a delightful collection of compositions that is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. I will definitely be delving into Cicada's back catalogue as soon as possible.
You can listen to 'Farewell (In a Pretentious Way)' here:
That'll have to do it for this month. I really should be doing assignments. I also just realised that none of these albums contain words. So there ya go.
If you enjoy this blog share it with your friends and you'll get two free tickets to see Shark Tale 2 in 3D**. No scam.
Have nice day :)
** not actually a real movie. And even if it was... come on.
