drone / ambient / post rock
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Aah, the Belgians. What a bunch of drone geniuses we have. Dirk Serries, Stratosphere, CHVE, Syndrome, Ashtoreth,... the list is getting bigger and bigger. Now we can add another project to that list, one named Barst. After numerous live performances, splits and cassettes, this one-man project is now ready to release his first full-length. The album contains two tracks, each lasting for over twenty minutes. However, before you expect some nice, blissful ambient, please read on. This might be one of the most varied and surprising albums in its genre.
First off, the massive achievement wouldn't have been possible without a little help from his friends. On this album a heap of artists lent a hand: Mike Armine (Rosetta), Dehn Sora (Treha Sektori, Sembler Deah, …), Karen Willems (Inwolves), Mathieu Mathlovsky(Mathlovsky), Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe (Empusae, Onus, …), An-Sofie De Meyer (FÄR), Tokyo Oyo and Herr Man. If you know some of these acts, you might start realising just how varied this thing really is. I'll try to guide you through.
The album opens with a drone, and so far this was pretty much exactly what I expected. Yet, then it happens. In the first track alone, the music ranges from ambient to post metal to martial industrial to ritualistic chants. Besides the usual drone-ambient acts mentioned above, acts like Deutsch Nepal, Russian Circles, Sophia, Biosphere and even Dead Can Dance come to mind. This is a heap of influences pressed together, no wonder the track lasts this long. Track two even adds a dash of gloomy techno with sludge metal vocals to the whole thing. I've never danced to drone music before.
So yes, for this genre of music, 2016 has been a fantastic year, especially in Belgium. Lots of our most respected artists have released a brilliant album and, in my humble opinion, Barst tops it off in the most varied way imaginable. I can only recommend this gem to pretty much every fan of inventive and original music. You can be sure that this thing will end up somewhere in my end-year list, just like I'm sure that you will often stare at your speakers in absolute disbelief.
Damn, I love this job...
Serge
First off, the massive achievement wouldn't have been possible without a little help from his friends. On this album a heap of artists lent a hand: Mike Armine (Rosetta), Dehn Sora (Treha Sektori, Sembler Deah, …), Karen Willems (Inwolves), Mathieu Mathlovsky(Mathlovsky), Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe (Empusae, Onus, …), An-Sofie De Meyer (FÄR), Tokyo Oyo and Herr Man. If you know some of these acts, you might start realising just how varied this thing really is. I'll try to guide you through.
The album opens with a drone, and so far this was pretty much exactly what I expected. Yet, then it happens. In the first track alone, the music ranges from ambient to post metal to martial industrial to ritualistic chants. Besides the usual drone-ambient acts mentioned above, acts like Deutsch Nepal, Russian Circles, Sophia, Biosphere and even Dead Can Dance come to mind. This is a heap of influences pressed together, no wonder the track lasts this long. Track two even adds a dash of gloomy techno with sludge metal vocals to the whole thing. I've never danced to drone music before.
So yes, for this genre of music, 2016 has been a fantastic year, especially in Belgium. Lots of our most respected artists have released a brilliant album and, in my humble opinion, Barst tops it off in the most varied way imaginable. I can only recommend this gem to pretty much every fan of inventive and original music. You can be sure that this thing will end up somewhere in my end-year list, just like I'm sure that you will often stare at your speakers in absolute disbelief.
Damn, I love this job...
Serge