I've decided I'm going to start doing all kinds of reviews and not just Electronic.. because I USED to only listen to Electronic Music. Well.. not anymore. Thanks to this site I have traveled outside of my comfort zone and now listen to all kinds of weird stuff. Well.. let's get on with it!
Shoegaze:
Alcest - Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde
Label : Prophecy Productions
Release : August 2007
Songs : Printemps Émeraude, Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde, Les Iris, Ciel Errant, Sur L'Autre Rive Je T'Attendrai, Tir Nan Og
Alcest, a project from a man by the name of Niege, is quite far outside of his other work. Alcest started out as a 3 piece black metal band.. that is until Niege was exposed to Shoegaze and Post Rock. As a child he says he was drawn to "fairy land" which was the main idea behind this album. He left Aegnor and Argoth behind to do all of the guitar, drum, and vocal work by himself. With an exception to some female vocals done by Audrey Sylvain from another project he was involved in (Amesoeurs). The album is beautifully produced.. which is to be expected considering his claims are that it was composed over a 6 year period.
The album opens up with the beautiful and seemingly emotional Printemps Emeraude (Emerald Green Spring), complete with perhaps just a BIT of Black Metal influence here and there (drumming wise). You can also hear Audrey's subtle vocal work throughout the track. Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde (Memories Of Another World) continues on the same note as the opening but maybe a bit more solemn and cold. At this point I'd like to point out how amazing Niege's vocal work is.. I don't think I could imagine any better sounding vocals to go with the music. So uplifting and oneiric yet still having some substance. Les Iris (The Iris) is on a slightly different frequency from the other two. Still beautiful and such.. but doesn't seem to have the same amount of emotion as the first two. Almost like a well done ambient track! Ciel Errant (Wandering Sky) reminds me of something you would listen to while thinking about the past. It's not as openly emotional as the first two which is a nice break. It has a simplistic feel and has this underlying feeling of hope which is so beautiful and comforting. Sur L'autre Rive Je T'attendrai (On the Other Bank I Shall Wait for You) is home to quite an interesting hypnotic feeling. It also has a bizarre aura of tension or something of the like. As if he can't wait on the bank anymore and can't wait for his love to come back! Or maybe I'm just being a romantic.. who knows. The song also features a little sample of ocean water coming ashore which is fitting when considering the title of the track. This song also features Audrey's gorgeous voice once again. The last piece Tir Nan Og has a weird drumming in it that makes me think of an Enya song. Not that that's a bad thing.. it's actually a very good thing! I would think that this could be played on one of those Pure Mood compilations that were so popular. It has such a clear and clean atmosphere with no sadness or angst.. just beauty!