Merchants Of Air
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Interviews
  • Giveaways
  • Playlists
  • Shop
    • Merchants Of Air releases
  • About us
    • About Us
    • Writers Wanted
    • Logos and banner
    • Advertise
    • Mailinglist

Brieviews 22

31/3/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Picture
check out our store

Lynhood - Septembre

ambient / experimental / shoegaze
Atypeek
Amazon
bandcamp
Picture
Lynhood is the solo project for French bassist Chloé Della Valle, founder of the Grenoble label. Lynhood is also a very interesting take on ambient, drones, noise pop and shoegaze. Armed with a bass guitar, her dreamy voice and a loop station, Lynhood creates textured pop songs with a gritty edge. That now results in this four track ep which at times is extremely melancholic. While opener 'Tree' is a gentle tune, 'White Emperor' is a tremendous tearjerker, gloomy and deeply introvert. In all, this ep is not an easy pill to swallow but certainly one worth the effort. It's simply another interesting take on drones and ambient. Try it out...

Duality - Archeology

metalcore / metal
facebook
Picture
French metal act Duality come up with a complex but immersive take on progressive metal and metalcore, a genre I'm not always a big fan of. However, the three songs on this ep are laced with oriental influences, unusual vocal lines and tantalizing electronics, which make this thing a lot better than I expected. The songs are quite slow but still contain heaps of energy and grinding riffs. My personal favorite on this ep is 'Osiris', an intense piece of work that will often surprise the listener. I suggest you check it out, musical surprises are always a good thing as they open your mind for new things.

Never Train - Dnar

hard rock
Inverse Records
facebook
Picture
They call it "street rock", but I think the term "hard rock" will fit the band very well. I mean, uptempo rockers with a dirty edge and plenty of power, both in the riffs and in the vocals, that spells hard rock in my book. Never Train, a band from Finland, does nothing really new but they did record three highly convincing pieces of good old fashioned rock 'n roll. There is a little bit of Skid Row in here, a dash of Ramones and even a touch of Guns 'n Roses. So this just can't go wrong. Opener 'First We Live' is my favorite. 'Hope In Youth' is a rocking dance floor filler and closer 'Dnar' is simply an uplifting piece of old school hard rock. You might need this...

Dominique Charpentier - L'attente

classical / ambient
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
The email that contained this ep, also contained the words "It's a piano solo album", which is probably the truest thing I have ever read. On this ep, there is a piano and ten massively experienced fingers who gently help the instrument reveal its dreams. The five short pieces on this ep are soothing and minimal classical pieces that can lighten up every day. I don't care what genre you usually listen to, dear reader, but I strongly urge you to purchase this album. Music like this should be in everybody's collection. Everybody needs moments like these, moments to meditate and look into their own soul. This album can help you with that...

Vautour - Vautour

drum & bass / industrial metal
facebook
Picture
With the energy of a metal album, French electronic act Vautour comes up with six massively energetic pieces of industrial music. Fans of Chase & Status or Pendulum will undoubtedly embrace this thing. There are references towards hardcore techno, dubstep, drum & bass and breakbeats but also towards rock and metal, be it a highly electronic form If you ever see a moshpit forming during a drum & bass gig, it will probably be while Vautour is playing live. In all, this debut is an interesting piece of work, one which will definitely get your dancing boots on. I can see good things happening for this act in the future.

Moonlight Prophecy - Eternal Oblivion 

progressive / thrash metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Philadelphia's Moonlight Prophecy is a Progressive, Thrash and Neoclassical Metal project from multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Lawrence Wallace, and that is pretty much all you need to know before getting your hands on this stunning ep. Mostly instrumental, this three-track is loaded with shredding riffs, epic guitar solos and a massive drum sound, all coming with a gloomy atmosphere. People have said that this compares to Nevermore meets Testament and I'm not going to disagree with that. Fans of epic, technical and immersive metal can easily trust this project to deliver the goods. So yep, recommended as hell, this one...

Era 9 - Warrior

nu metal
Soundcloud
Amazon
facebook
Picture
This single by Montreal based rock band Era 9 is a very nice appetizer for their upcoming album (planned to be released in May). This song seemingly blends influences from Linkin Park, Paramore, Lacuna Coil and even Skrillex and throws them into one immersive piece of music. The result is a possible hard rock charts hit, a song that would do perfectly well as a Wrestlemania tune, for example. So yes, it's worth to check this out. I'm already curious for the upcoming full-length and if you're into anything that smells like nu metal, you should too...

Electric Floor - Fader

synthpop / new wave
Vipchoyo Sound Factory 
Amazon
facebook
Picture
With elements from indie rock, new wave and synth pop, this trio politely invites you to the dancefloor, especially if you are a fan of Echo & The Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs, The Cure, Human League and so on. These five tracks seem to come directly from the eighties but will just as well please fans of modern day indie rock. Opener 'Bluedive' and the gloomy 'Borderland' are my favorites on this five track but all the songs are worth your attention. So yes, for a nostalgia trip, this is definitely a highly recommended ep and to be frank, I'd rather go see these guys on stage than Depeche Mode.

Headless Horseman - 47009

techno / industrial
47
facebook
Picture
Speaking about invitations to the dancefloor, this one is something for the discotheques and dance festivals around the globe. Headless Horseman delivered a four track ep, loaded with beats and eerie soundscapes. Yet, instead of the regular 4/4 beats, this act gives the whole thing an industrial touch, reminding me of acts like Imminent, Sonar, Morgenstern or Synapscape. The opener, 'Widow's Peak' is my favorite here, along with the Scorn-like dark dub track 'The Day She Vanished'. So yeppers, for a techno record, this is a bloody good one, one that will find the way to my playlists quite often from now on.

Lonely The Brave - Diamond Days

alternative rock
website
Amazon
facebook
Picture
British band Lonely The Brave delivered a nice four track ep, named 'Diamond Days'. On this ep, the band comes up with small rock anthems, seemingly influenced by alternative rock, indie and post rock. Opener and title track 'Diamond Days' is a possible fan favorite, an intelligent rock anthem that would fit perfectly well in today's alternative rock community. 'Two Heads' is a bit heavier and 'Collider' is another awesome anthem. The ep closes with a nice version of 'The Rat', originally recorded by The Walkmen. In all, this ep might not be earth shattering but it's definitely a nice addition to your collection.

Misto - Infinite Mirrors

post rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
This debut ep by Italian one-man post rock act Misto has been released last year but it only reached us a short while ago. Usually, when that happens, the release ends up in the pile of albums-we-don't-have-time-for but this time I'd like to make an exception. Why? Well, this is a very nice six-track ep, containing some gentle post rock tunes. This certainly is one of those ep that would perfectly fit in your massive post-rock playlists, there where Explosions, Godspeed, Mogwai, Caspian and Astronaut also roam. So go ahead, download these tunes help me in hoping that Misto will form a band and tour soon...

Grave Plague - The Infected Crypts

death metal
Give Praise Records
Redefining Darkness Records
facebook
Picture
On to the extremes then, courtesy of American death metal horde Grave Plague. Their sole goal is to resurrect the old school version of death metal and on this two-track ep they do exactly that. With a sound that reminds me of something between Dismember and At The Gates, this quintet blasts two ferocious slabs of vintage death metal through my speakers at a very high paste. The whole thing is quite short but powerful enough to demolish a small suburb. So if you're into grinding riffs, sick grunts and pulverising tempos, this one should have a spot in your collection. Period.

HaatE - Crystal : Farewell

dark ambient / black metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Italian black ambient act HaatE returns with a mesmerizing and hypnotic ep, one that has everything it needs to be a solid reference to this dark and mysterious genre. Although mostly rooted in dark ambient, there are elements from black metal and the whole post-black/rock scene. The end result is a sonic journey that never disappoints, never gets stale and continuously contains this cold, eerie and haunting atmosphere. I can only recommend this thing to all you dark souls out there. For people like you, this music is comforting and calm while it's dark and scary for others. Great work, a must-have.

Kolfskop - Cambozola Superster

experimental rock
facebook
Picture
The weirdest ep in this edition of Brieviews comes from Belgian trio Kolfskop. These guys from Ghent once had an idea about how music should sound, threw that overboard and started experimenting, influenced by Zappa, Waits, Beefheart and Primus. Now, they come up with this strange ep, one that has the words "avant-garde" written all over it. Nonetheless, this thing comes highly recommended because it's something you just don't hear very often anymore. Oh, and it's all in Dutch, but don't let that stop you. After all, plenty of Belgians are musical geniuses as well as completely mad.

Eli van Pike - Herzschlag

gothic / industrial metal
Darksign Music
Amazon
facebook
Picture
A German-American cooperation, deeply rooted in the dark industrial metal scene, that has got to be interesting. And it is, certainly for fans of bands like ASP, Oomph, Wolfsheim and so on. This single contains the gothic rock song 'Herzschlag' and a bunch of EBM/industrial/future pop remixes. Personally, I would have preferred one or two other songs on this single, just to add a touch of variation, but nonetheless, this is an interesting example of today's gothic scene. So I guess the choice is yours, and I strongly suggest checking this single out. If you like it, why not get the whole album?

Fork / Göttemia - Indre Enfold

punk
Kraftpest
Fork
Göttemia 
Picture
And we end this edition of Brieviews with two bands from the Norwegian punk underground, bands that have been playing live and touring for years and became quite good friends. Fork comes up with two energetic punk songs, nudging towards alternative and noise rock but still raunchy enough to please hardcore punks. Göttemia adds three aggressive punk tunes to the mix, perfectly capable of getting that mosh pit started. Both acts seem to do exactly what they want, which obviously is in perfect punk tradition. So, punk of all ages, check this out. You'll love it.
Comments

Jacaszek - KWIATY 

2/3/2017

Comments

 
experimental / electronic / ambient / classical
Ghostly International
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our sillynesses
I first discovered the wonderful and adventurous music of Jacaszek in a record store. 'Glimmer' and 'Catalogue des Arbres (feat. Kwartludium)' have been regularly played albums for years in this household. So when this new album was announced, I was immediately interested. However, like often happens with artists this talented and versatile, starting to write this review was a difficult task. So let's just begin by writing that this is an breathtaking piece of work.

For those not familiar with Michał Jacaszek: he is a Polish composer who combines electronically prepared sounds with acoustic instruments.  Over the years, he composed soundtracks and theatre music, plus a number of albums. His work blend classical music with experimental electronics and jazz. He knows little to no musical borders and continuously drags in seemingly strange influences. 

'Kwiaty' means flowers and in a way that is exactly what you get on this album; blooming pieces of music that look and feel familiar yet mysterious. The album was inspired by Michał Jacaszek’s discovery of an English anthology of metaphysical poetry from the 17th century by Robert Herrick, which to him — somehow-- sounded songlike when read out-loud. The album contains guest appearances by Hania Malarowska (Hanimal), Joasia Sobowiec-Jamioł and Natalia Grzebała.

The songs on this album are strange pop-ballads or jazz inspired classical pieces or electronically rearranged folk songs, regarding on how you feel about them. I hear influences from all these genres, including trip hop, dark jazz and the soundtracks to Tim Burton's movies or even Twin Peaks. There is a gloomy atmosphere, a mysterious feel but also musical ingenuity and beautiful vocals.  In short, this is Jacaszek at his very best.

Once again I refuse to pick a favorite track. I'm not even going to mention separate songs. I'm just going to recommend buying the album. Take the weekend off and enjoy 'Kwiaty' non-stop. Allow Jacaszek to guide you on an introvert but epic journey, one you will not regret. It will definitely be worth the effort. If you are into anything between Dead Can Dance, Bersarin Quartet and The Nightmare Before Christmas, you will easily get addicted to this thing...


​Serge
Comments

Nathan Shubert - Folds

26/1/2017

Comments

 
classical / ambient
website
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our shirts
I love how versatile and inspiring music can be. Half an hour ago, I was cleaning the house while some groovy death metal blasted through my speakers, which obviously provided me with plenty of energy. Right now, I'm in a completely different zone, a calm and relaxed one. Inspired by the always blissful sound of the piano, I'm now ready to write and chill down for a moment. So I guess I'll simply start writing the review and see where the whole thing takes me.

Nathan Shubert is a pianist, composer and keyboard player from Canada. According to his biography, he draws influences from Nils Frahm, Steve Reich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Philip Glass and Erik Satie. So it will not be very surprising that we're dealing with a piano driven piece of music. The tracks on this album are quite minimal instrumentals, warm, gentle and somewhat romantic at times.

I mentioned a bunch of artists to compare this album with, but the most striking comparison actually comes from right inside this very house. I have a few musical neighbours, one playing trumpet and two pianists. On a regular basis, the sounds come through the walls and silently fill the room. They're not perfect, there is a tiny error to be found here and there, but they're human, warm and comforting. For me, they are some of the most beautiful sounds on this planet.

And that's exactly what this album does. Tracks like 'Chairs', 'Fencing' and 'Encampment' are so nice to listen to, even though they don't reach a technical precision. Most of the tunes are friendly explorations of the piano. They show a seemingly introvert musician in a respectful conversation with his instrument. Sometimes they're uptempo and uplifting, sometimes slow and narrative, but they are always immersive.

My favorites are the two (way too short) 'Aurora' pieces, which somehow serve as ambient interludes between the piano pieces. Closer 'Gaze' is another favorite by the way. However, I would indeed recommend this album to all fans of classical music and ambient. It's a warmly recommended addition to your collection. I'm going to add it to my day-to-day playlist and I suggest  you do the very same thing.


​Serge
Comments

Brieviews part 13

29/9/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Merchants Of Air shirt designs, because you are what you wear...

Shikobi - Pull The Trigger

alternative rock / grunge / nu-metal
soundcloud
facebook
Picture
I guess it's only logical that we're currently witnessing the beginning of a huge nineties revival, and I think it's a good thing too. Take this American quartet for example. They just released a nice ep with four tracks that range from grunge to nu-metal and from alternative rock to stoner rock. Bands that come to mind include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, Clawfinger and Rage Against The Machine. With hard hitting guitars, strong raps and vocals and plenty of dynamics Shikobi will have no problem conquering the world of rock. All they need now is one massive hit and a full-length and they're ready to collect huge shares of fans...

Tölva - Wide Shot

post rock
bandcamp
website
facebook
Picture
Is the post rock genre already old enough to have an old-school scene? If so, French quartet Tölva could soon become a force to be reckoned with. Inspired by the greats, you know, Godspeed, You Russian, This Will Destroy the Explosions in Mogwai, that kind of stuff, Törva delivered a very strong debut ep with all the necessary elements to make it a strong competitor. The opener 'Poveglia' remains my favorite and I really enjoy the calm breather 'Puzzle' as well. The other two track? Well, they're equally loaded with beautiful soundscapes, a blissful atmosphere and all the emotions only decent post rock can deliver. This is a great, and highly recommended, debut.


Leaving Passenger - When It's Done

alternative rock / grunge
Amazon
facebook
Picture
See? I told you we were facing a nineties revival. It's hit France now too, and it hit it good. Leaving Passenger is an alternative rock band from Paris who are about to debut with this magnificent ep. Influenced by the likes of Hoobastank, Incubus, Linkin Park and Nickelback, these guys come up with some  strong and highly convincing songs., strangely enough reminding me of Tool and Deftones. 'Lies On The Floor' is a world class song, and definitely not the only one on this ep. I love the riffs, who show some stoner rock influences as well. But the coolest thing about this is the use of electronics to give the whole thing an extra touch, something glitchy often. This is a brilliant ep.


Bookworms - Anòmia 

electronic / techno
Anomia
Picture
I had no idea what to expect from this 12" but the opening track 'Divulge' certainly got my attention. Glitchy ambient and otherworldly soundscapes filled the room, much to my delight. On 'Patterned' the techno beats arrive and I thought, "well, why not" and started shaking my ass a little. The music reminds me a bit of acts like Riou or Unit Moebius, two acts I quite like fro their experimental approach to electronic dance music. In that aspect, the title track might be my favorite but I like this whole ep, even the somewhat nineties inspired '500 Words'. So yeah, perhaps it's a good idea to check this out and do a little dance. It's a nice change from the stuff we usually listen to...


In Slaughter Natives and Nihil - Ventre

dark ambient
Cyclic Law
facebook
Picture
When French artist and writer Nihil asked Swedish one-man martial ambient act In Slaughter Natives to compose the soundtrack for his book, something very interesting happened. I don't know which is the darkest element of this experience: the music, the artwork or the short stories. Main theme is the search for identity of the main character, a man who accidentally awakes from the artificial lethargy everyone has been submerged into for ages. The amazingly detailed artwork mostly displays one desperate human being, face or eyes covered. The soundtrack only emphasizes the lonely and frightening atmosphere of the whole. In Slaughter Natives again delivers top-shelf dark ambient and martial industrial soundscapes. For fans of Puissance, Triarii, Raison d'Être but also recommended to anyone who's fed up with the muzak which comes gushing out of your radio...


Sona Nyl - Refugee

electronic / dark ambient / industrial / noise
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
We're not done with crawling through utter darkness yet. In fact, we're going deeper down into a world where sounds are no longer natural, no longer bearable for the ordinary person. Fans of electronic drones, dark ambient and dark industrial noise on the other hand will have a blast with this album from French one-man project Sona Nyl. This album constantly balances on the edge between musicality and noise and quite often blatantly crossing over. The result is a captivating album, loaded with unidentified noises, creeping, crawling and repetitive enough to grind you into a deep and gloomy state of trance. This is something for fans of everything between ​Aghiatrias, Atrium Carceri and Atrax Morgue 


Astarium/Antiquus Scriptum - Hymns To The Ancient Northland

dark ambient / neo classical
Astarium
Antiquus Scriptum
Picture
Russian dark ambient and neoclassical project Astarium has been around for quite some time now, always delivering some strong and mysterious music. On this cooperation with Portuguese act Antiquus Scriptum that is no different. The eight tracks delivered by Astarium are once again representations of mystical worlds and times with beautiful arrangements and a eerie atmosphere. Antiquus Scriptum adds another set of strange songs, perhaps a bit more experimental and bizarre but nonetheless very interesting. There is something pagan, something medieval to this music and clearly something I can appreciate. This is an excellent split which you should check out if you're into ancient folk and gloomy musical bliss.


Clara Engel - Visitors Are Allowed One Kiss

folk 
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Aah, the beauty of being an introvert. It's so nice to dwell in someone's mind by exploring their music and that certainly is the case on this album by Canadian singer songwriter Clara Engel. Here and there aided by people like Aidan Baker, Armen Ra, Thor Harris and Siavash Amini, this woman delivers intimate but soulful folk songs with guitar, vocals and soundscapes or drones. The result is a pleasure to listen to, often even evoking a teardrop. For me, it's hard to compare this to other artists, because it's a realm I don't often visit. But that doesn't matter, all you need to know about this album is the captivating and immersive nature and the simply beautiful songs, loaded with emotions. Definitely recommended stuff.


Dominique Charpentier - Passages

classical
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Dominique Charpentier is a multi-instrumentalist from France. He chose the piano for his first full-length album, his instrument of predilection. and you can immediately hear that this is one very talented fellow. He has also made soundtracks for films and video games in his home studio, and you can hear impressive orchestral compositions on his soundcloud page. The piano songs on Passages are breathtaking gems that remind of the works of Yann Tiersen and Ludovico Einaudi, two other self-made musicians and Carpentier's main influences. I'd say: go check this album out now!


Nangilima - Shards of Loss

doom
Xtreem Music
facebook
Picture
Once starting out as a blackened doom metal band, Swedish act Nangilima gradually evolved into the symphonic doom death combo they are today. Their new single, 'Shards Of Loss' contains two tracks which should every fan of Saturnus, Novembers Doom, My Dying Bride and Swallow the Sun tremble with excitement. Deep guttural growls and thick riffs are being accompagnied with piano and orchestral arrangements to create vast sonic journeys. Both songs are varied enough to remain interesting and lingering enough to maintain that always awesome doom metal bliss. See, this is why I love this genre so much. It comes from deep within and speaks directly to the darkest of souls.


Damnatus - Io odio la vita

black metal
bandcamp
Picture
When an album title translates as "I hate life", you know you can expect something depressive and harsh. And yes, that's exactly what this Italian one-man act delivers. After an intro, hell breaks loose with harsh, minimal, mainly slow, gritty and primitive black metal, somehow reminding me of some of those ancient pioneers in the scene. Yet, the mid-tempo approach of songs like 'Primavera Depressa' has something post-punkish as well. 'Ricaduta' is probably my favorite track on this album, one that shows decent musical skills and a flair for a bleak atmosphere. I recommend this album to all fans of Nyktalgia, Nortt and Xasthur, or anyone who thinks life is something to be suffered, not enjoyed...


Gonçalo Almeida & Rutger Zuydervelt - Jangadas

experimental / noise / improv
Cylinder Recordings
Picture
What happens when an experienced double bassist and a seasoned electronic experimentalist climb on stage together? Well, apparently you get something highly impressive that defies all categorization, like this twenty minutes lasting orgy of drones, soundscapes noises and hints of jazz. This release was recorded during a gig the two artists did in Rotterdam and damn it, it makes me regret not being there. In its digital form it's already impressive but my guess is that the concert itself has been intensely captivating and hypnotizing. Then again, that's something we're already used to with Machinefabriek, but still, this surely is something you need if you're into experimental ingenuity...


Tomy Lobo - Golden Birds

alternative rock / electronic / indie
facebook
Picture
Hailing from France, Tomy Lobo doesn't seem to be interesting in doing this normally. The indie rock this act delivers, drives on modern electronic sounds but also seems to showcase a tremendous flair for the bombast of alternative rock. The result is a combination of everything you can hear on a decent alternative music radio station. You can dance to it, you can kneel-down and cry your eyes out to it or you can just shake your head in absolute approval. Personally, I prefer the latter but wouldn't mind dancing to gems like 'Night Prism' or the gloomy dubstep track 'Erase It All'. It's a bit like Oscar and the Wolf, but better. Way better. Check it out, you just might have found something new to expand your collection.


Drei Affen - Drei Affen

crust / screamo / post-hardcore / noise rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Hailing from the beautiful country of Spain, but a bit more on the noisy spectrum of the musical industry, comes this raunchy and loud trio, Drei Affen and their untitled blast of sheer aggression. With a blend of screamo, noise rock and post-hardcore, this trio is out for nothing less than utter destruction and as far as I'm concerned, it works pretty well. I mean, listening to this ep already caused me to throw a hot cup of coffee at a mosquito and punish a pillow for its uncomfortable position. This music is intense, that's for damn sure, and I think it's not suitable for everyone. Yet, for fans of ruthless violence, this definitely comes highly recommend. I'm sure live shows by this trio will cause a lot of bruises and broken noses...


Valborg - Werwolf

gothic metal / death metal / doom
Temple Of Torturous
facebook
Picture
We end this edition of Brieviews with two harsh doom songs with a gloomy, gothic atmosphere. German band Valborg has been compared to bands like Type O Negative, Celtic Frost and Triptykon and who am I to contradict that. Fans of these bands will certainly appreciate these massively immersive pieces of death doom but I still feel that Valborg has its own sound, somewhat industrial, somewhat dirty and vampiric. I'm sure Bela Lugosi would have loved the brilliant title track if he were still alive. Oh well, go ahead, check this out and join me in hoping that Valborg will come up with a stunning full-length and tour in the near future.

writers: Serge & Eline
Comments

Black Hill and heklAa – Rivers and Shores

19/9/2016

Comments

 
ambient / modern classical
bandcamp
facebook Black Hill
facebook heklAa
Picture
Picture
support Merchants Of Air and look cool in our unique shirt designs
Rivers & Shores is the most recent release by Black Hill (the alias of musicformessier Czarnorgursky István), done in a very astounding partnership with heklAa (the alias of French musician Sébastien Touraton), where the guitar pieces (Black Hill) are the rivers, and their piano counterparts (heklAa) are the shores.

A very unusual album, it is composed of 8 songs, although there is 16 tracks. Each song is played on guitar, and then follows the same song, on a piano version, making an unusual, but very unfathomable, picturesque and unique expressionistic diagram of marvelous beauty, where each track has a beautiful composition, gracefully completed by a poetic counterpart, which you will find quite hard to translate in words, as they are so much capable to build unexpected dialogues between your emotions. And you will feel between the songs, as well as at the very own core of each one of them, that kind of genuine emotion that makes the music reflects the uneasiness required for a deep and sincere appreciation of the listener. 

Since every track is very short, each one of them makes you travel free through the groundbreaking notes of every song, since this peculiar and unusual change of guitar and piano gives you the feeling of flying between worlds of angelically delineated serenity, while at the same time gives to your spirit the astonishing peculiarities that only a carefully constructed masterpiece achieves with such a great, but measuredly crafted symbioses of instruments, creating in such beautiful and well delineated harmonies the groundwork that only great musicians are able to combine perfectly together. 

All in all, Rivers & Shores is another great and beautiful Black Hill album, with another great and solemn guest artist, heklAa. The marvelous and poetic beauty of such expressionistic pieces, that isolated from one another shares the greatness of impenetrable and subtle fragments, are greatly combined together to compose a carefree mosaic of dense artistic structure, that works heavenly as a tapestry of beautiful layers of sound, very unique even for such talented and incredibly skilled musicians. In fact, it is the kind of album that no words can describe. You have to listen to yourself to believe! Beautiful, astounding, magnificent. Destined to become an underground classic, with no other album being able for comparison yet.


​Wagner
Comments

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Nagasaki : Memories of my Son

13/9/2016

Comments

 
score / classical
Milan Records
facebook
Picture
Picture
support Merchants Of Air, check out our shop
After his beautiful soundtrack for the film The Revenant (read our review), Japanese head-maestro Ryuichi Sakamoto returns with another score. This one however, is for the movie 'Nagasaki: Memories of My Son' (directed by Yôji Yamada). The film is solely made for the Japanese market so chances that people in Europe or America will see it are slim, so perhaps it's best to see this soundtrack as a full-length album.

The film is set in post-World War II Japan, where a mother mourns the death of her son who became a victim of the atomic bomb. The music, or at least most of it, feels somewhat alike. Apart from some flashes of noise, soundscapes and strange musical outbursts, this album beautifully depicts the mother's despair and her loneliness. The piano is the central element, here and there accompagnied by string instruments.

There are 28 songs and flashes of soundscapes on this album, eventually clocking off at an hour or so. It's everything you would expect from a mastermind like Sakamoto, who can show genius in the most minimalistic tunes. If you're a fan of his work, you definitely need to get your hands on this soundtrack. Same counts for fans of classical music and somewhat experimental ambient. This is a fascinating score.


​Serge




Comments

Brieviews Part 9

16/8/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Intro: Not long ago, we published a massive amount of brieviews without giving a damn about genre restrictions. As you may already know, everything is welcome on Merchants Of Air and we do our very best to recommend some awesome stuff. That set of brieviews gained us a lot of positive reactions, more than enough to continue that tradition. So today I'd like to present another heap of brieview, ranging from all kinds of metal to classical music but also some dance floor fillers and straight in-your-face rock 'n roll. Enjoy...

The Lizzies - Good Luck

rock / hard rock
The Sign Records
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Named after a street gang in the movie 'The Warriors (1979)', Spanish four-piece Lizzies come up with some good old fashioned rock 'n roll. These women have borrowed to in-your-face attitude of acts like The Ramones and combine it with vintage hard rock and heavy metal. The result is a heavy rocking album with strong songs, at times reminding me of early Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. The whole thing seems to go back to the early eighties, when metal was still in its childhood. My favorite track is the fierce 'Speed On The Road' but pretty much every song on this debut can easily get a party started. I hope we'll be hearing a lot from these ladies in the near future.


Skognatt - Landscape of Ice

atmospheric black metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Well, the album cover and the title pretty much say all you need to know about this two-track ep by German act Skognatt. This is a cold and harsh but highly atmospheric piece of depressive black metal, loaded with keyboard arrangements and folk elements. Both songs are slow and come with a decent amount of variation. Here and there I'm reminded of acts like Dimmu Borgir, Vinterriket, Summoning and Nortt, and even Samael comes to mind once in awhile. The lack of blast beats doesn't make these tracks any less intense. On the contrary, this is utter despair, bleakness and suicidal depression at its best. I know, that doesn't sound very positive, but then again, a black metal album is never supposed to sound positive.


Rattleplague - ​Bourbon Scenes

hard rock / southern rock / stoner rock / grunge
Inverse Records
facebook
Picture
Hailing from the deepest ranches of southern Finland, the rockers of Rattleplague come up with a pretty nasty ep. They blend southern rock with grunge and heavy party rock 'n roll, resulting in a drunken orgy of riffs, drums and harsh, mean vocals. The songs remind me of something between Alice In Chains, Motorhead and White Zombie, which obviously means "party time". Besides, for some reason I think Slayer has been on of Rattleplagues influences, but I could be wrong about that. Anyway, 'Drain' is a brilliant song,  'Parasite Brothel' drags Kuyss into the world of metal and 'Hollywood Diabolical' is what happens when Max Cavalera would join Motley Crue. You WILL party!!!


The Apex - Underbelly

death metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Whoever claims that Canadians are too nice, should listen to this murderous gem by technical specialists The Apex. With brutal yet technical death metal, incorporating elements from mathcore, this three track is a massive assault on your mental health. Bits of Meshuggah, flashes of Dillinger Escape Plan and hints of Fear Factory drag you down into a dark hole where they beat you senseless with unexpected hooks, skullgrinding riffs and whatnot. According to the biography, the vocalist suffers from a form of Neurogenic Stammering, which effects his speech so he's unable to carry on a normal conversation, but he can growl and scream like the best metal vocalist out there.


Misanthropic Rage - ​Qualia

black metal
Godz Ov War Productions
facebook
Picture
From one of the most dissonant and eerie quarters of the black metal scene, comes the new ep by Polish avant-garde act Misanthropic Rage. One massive, seventeen minutes lasting epos and two deranged and brutal piece of extreme metal, that's what you get on this little gem. The immense title track is a stunning and highly varied piece of music, one you easily lose yourself in if you're into the weird extremes. The other two aren't any less impressive by the way, and -obviously- they are excellent headbanging material. I hope this ep will be followed by a full-length and a tour in the near future because this act definitely is something today's black metal scene needs.


Sea Of Bones / Ramlord - Split

sludge / doom 
Broken Limbs Records
Sea Of Bones
Ramlord
Picture
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest thing to ever be weighed as of 2015 was the Revolving Service Structure of launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Well, it's 2016 now and New Haven, CT residents Sea Of Bones are up for the challenge to create something heavier. Their contribution to this split is intensely dark, atmospheric, monolithic, fuzz-out and pitch black. Their colleagues from Ramlord smash another piece of thick sonic filth in our faces, which is equally impressive. Both tracks last about ten minutes, plenty of time to roll over their listener with a repetitive steamroller. If you like heavy, you must pre-order this split now!



Kalloused - Damn You Believer

sludge / doom / black metal
Third Eye Rex
facebook
Picture
UK residents Kalloused call their music "noise-metal" and quite frankly, I think that's right on the spot. The stuff on this ep somewhat sounds like the metal version of harsh, repetitive noise, driving on a torpid tempo and thick, skull bashing riffs. Above all of that, the vocalist screams his lungs out in perfect blackened noise tradition. There are hints of hardcore but the majority of this album is intense, heavy and immersive sludge doom which is perfectly capable of driving a select audience into a pitch black state of trance. Perhaps one day I can be one of those audience members, but for now, I'll just use this ep as the ultimate soundtrack for all my aggressive activities...


Ordo Omegae Absolutae - Compendium Ordinis

black metal
Altere Records
Picture
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That certainly counts for this haunting compilation from Belgian blackened horde Ordo Omegae Absolutae. Although quite varied and including some dark ambient elements, the music on this album is fierce and often depressive old school black metal, driven by the collected negativity of the band members. The overall atmosphere is darker than you can possibly imagine. At times the somewhat musical black metal is overruled by uncontrollable noise. On other occasions, folky passages have been interlaced with the sheer brutality of the rest of the music. This is impressive stuff which every black metal fan needs to check out.


Hostage Of Fate - II

death metal / grindcore
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Greek duo Hostage Of Fate doesn't seem to care about genres. In fact, their main influences are the extreme bands from the eighties and nineties, regardless whether they're death metal, thrash metal, speed metal or hardcore. All they want to do, is make aggressive and pissed-off music and in that they certainly succeeded. This album is loaded with metallic chaos, brutal vocals, spine shattering blast beats and brainfucking riffs. Yet, the whole thing feels extremely experimental, which is quite impressive if you think about how minimalistic the music really is. It's definitely something different, different from pretty much every death metal album I've heard...


Kai Reznik - ​Scary Sleep Paralysis

electronic / industrial
bandcamp
Atypeek
facebook
Picture
Speaking about different albums, this ep certainly is something else. No guitars, just synths, drum machines and at times the guiding voice of Sasha Andrès (from the band Heliogabale). However, that does not mean that this is a soft piece of music, on the contrary. The songs on this album come very close to eighties electronic new wave acts like Suicide, The Klinik, Neon Judgement, Scorn.... Yet, it also has a very modern edge. 'Monster5', for example, is a brilliant approach to dubstep, brilliant enough to not be actual dubstep. There's also a bit of trip-hop, some ambient and some otherworldly melodies with church organs. What else could you need? This is an awesome ep.


Tambour - Chapitre II

ambient / classical
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Sometimes we all need a little break, and I have the perfect ep for that. Tambour is Simon P. Castonguay, a pianist and composer from Montreal. On this ep, he treats us to some gentle tunes of sweet and brisk modern classical music. Aided by a string quartet, his piano melodies sound melancholic yet playful, like a safe haven in a violent world. If you are into the music of people like Olafur Arnalds, Sebastian Plano or Bersarin Quartett, you should definitely check out this little gem. The somewhat jazzy 'Sleepers' is my favorite track on this ep, probably because of the beautiful sound of the clarinet. 'Valse N.1' also brings a nostalgic smile to my face. Beautiful stuff...


Haxis - City Lights

electro / industrial
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Time to get your dancing shoes and join me on the dark dance floor where French act Haxis invites us to shake our butts to his highly enjoyable fusion of synthpop and industrial. The songs on this ep drive on solid beats, electronic soundscapes and grinding distorted guitars. At times the whole thing sounds like Pet Shop Boys meets Die Krupps meets Daft Punk meets VNV Nation meets Project Pitchfork. The amount of energy coming off tracks like 'City Lights' ,'Glide' or 'Just Mad' is astounding and it's almost impossible to sit still on this stuff. I think I'm going to keep an eye on this act because I feel like this unique blend has a lot of potential to grow into something massive...


Dax J. - Illusions Of Power

techno
XLR8R
facebook
Picture
Techno isn't something we usually write about on Merchants Of Air, but this ep is a smasher. Ok, I admit, I was already interested when I read that it will be released on Speedy J's label, someone who's musical evolution saved the face of dance music for me. But I must say, opening track 'Reign Of Terror' is a brilliant blend of atmospheric techno , psytrance and eerie acid while other tracks remind me of acts like Self-transforming Machine Elves, Xingu Hill and Unit Moebius. Yeah, I might not know that much about techno, but I do know what I like and this, this I do like, even though things can get a bit too repetitive for me at times. The ep closes with the great break-beat track 'Breaking Visions', my favorite I think


They Danced Like Programmed Angels - The Current​

post rock / ambient
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
This American one-man act has a name that describes the songs on this album quite well. Mostly driving on programmed, electronic drums, these cinematic (mostly) instrumental songs gently fill the room. I can hear influences from ambient, from post-rock and from classical music. If you use your imagination, you can indeed see the programmed angels dancing in slow motion while you're drifting through the clouds on a warm night. I know, that  might sound a bit too poetic but this simply is a beautiful album, blending Boards Of Canada with Explosions In The Sky and Plaid with Godspeed You Black Emperor. As often, I'd like to see this live one day, but for now, I'll just enjoy these delightful tunes a few times more...


Rumours - Infant EP

electronic / alternative dance
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Of course this is Belgian, the land of Vive La Fête, Nid & Sancy, Praga Khan, Lords Of Acid, Front 242...Rumours are a band from Ghent, armed with a bunch of electronics and a massive knowledge about electronic dance music. The majority of this album is dance floor filling techno with a gritty, raunchy edge, perfectly suited for fans of The Knife or Liars. However, this acts throws in some cinematic elements as well as some blasts of chaotic industrial. You know, Atari Teenage Riot meets Björk or Zola Jesus meets Ambassador21, something like that. Oh well, just close your eyes and let the beats pummel you into a coma. I know I will...


Comments

David Newlyn - Linen

27/7/2016

Comments

 
neoclassical / ambient
Polar Seas Recordings
Picture
Picture
support Merchants Of Air, check out our shop
Sometimes, after going over a number of my reviews, people ask me, "how can you stand all that metal". After all, it is true that we review a lot of metal albums here on Merchants Of Air, even though it's far from the only genre we listen to. In fact, the percentage of ambient albums making our daily playlist is far bigger than other ones. The one I'm reviewing at this very moment, is one of them. When I listened to it for the first time, I immediately ripped it to FLACs and added it to my list. Besides that, in the past week or so, this album has been my "cool down" release after going through a heap of other stuff. So, to answer that question: with stuff like this in regular circulation, I can stand pretty much everything.

On this album, British composer David Newlyn treats us to minimal piano pieces, alternating with far stretched soundscapes and synthesiser passages. Furthermore, you can find some guitars, violins, fretless bass and field recordings, all gracefully blending into seven soothing tracks. It's tough to pick a favorite track, since I usually simply enjoy these albums as a whole. If I do have to make a choice, I'd probably go with the eerie 'Purist Notion', certainly since it's followed by the short and rather playful 'Fail These Days'. Or perhaps the dreamy closer 'I'll Walk Back Home', a track perfectly suited for actually walking back home, or anywhere for that matter.

Those three tracks pretty much make up the second half of the album, almost making me forget about the first four tunes. I can assure you that many ambient, minimal and piano fans out there will enjoy 'Whatever Changes' and the gentle 'Life At The Time' and the entire album, obviously. My suggestion is simple, check it out, give this album a shot. You won't be disappointed.


​Serge
Comments

Egor Grushin - Once

23/6/2016

Comments

 
modern classical
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
support Merchants Of Air, check out our shop
Ever since I heard 'Die Moldau', I've been hooked on classical music, along with a massive number of other musical styles. Unlike most people, I didn't know about classical music until I was twelve or so. In school, we had one hour of music class every week and that's where I heard that magnificent piece of music for the first time. My musical journeys haven't been the same since, and I'm still discovering beautiful works, created by piano and strings. 

Lviv, Ukraine resident Egor Grushin is actually one of my favorite present-day composers. Like several of his lesser known colleagues he surpasses well known ones like Olafur Arnalds, Sebastian Plano and Nils Frahm. Grushing would fit in quite well with that ensemble, certainly with a varied album like this one. Sometimes it's minimal and subdued, sometimes it's playful and joyous. It contains piano and strings, and a whole lot of talent.

After an intro, 'Essential' is exactly what the title predicts. This songs, and many others on this album, would fit perfectly on an 'Essential Classics' compilation, right in between the Mozarts, Beethovens, Händels and whonots. This is a joyous piece, a bit melancholic perhaps. Follower 'Summer' also doesn't disappoint. It sounds like a warm day in August, somewhere in the late eighteen hundreds or so.

Speaking about melancholy. The title track 'Once' really is a tearjerker and I write that in the best possible way. Remember that 'Essential Classics' compilation? Well, 'Once' deserves a spot too. It's followed by a waltz, aptly named 'Waltz'.  But I'm not going into a song-by-song on this one. You'll have to check out the other ones for yourself while I press the repeat-button and enjoy this graceful album a few times more... You should too


Serge
Comments

Clint Mansell - High Rise

1/5/2016

Comments

 
score / classical
Amazon
Terrorbird Media
facebook
Picture
Picture
find vintage film & concertposters on http://concertposters.be/
Ok, one more before I go to sleep, but I've chosen something really special to end this writing session. Former Pop Will Eat Itself frontman Clint Mansell probably is no stranger to both music and movie lovers, having scored the soundtrack for Darren Aronofsky films such as Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain and Pi. This time, Mansell scores Ben Wheatley's 'High Rise', based on the terrifying 1975 novel by J. G. Ballard.

The first time I listened to this album was a few days ago. I was occupied with other tasks and the music merely served as a background noise reduction. However, it didn't take long before the music grabbed my attention. The orchestral opener 'Critical Mass' already did the trick, bringing me back to a time when I was forced to listen to classical music by my music teacher. Back then I hated it, later I started to appreciate it, now it often brings me to tears.

Like many classical pieces, this soundtrack communicates a heap of emotions, from fear and anxiety over depression to relief. The eerie 'The Circle Of Women' is as unsettling as it is beautiful, and so is the brilliant piece 'Built, Not For Man But For Man's Absence'. I've always experienced the sound of strings as reflections of solitude and loneliness and here too it perfectly illustrates that.

But there's more than calm, soothing pieces of music. 'Danger In The Streets Of The Sky' is a bombastic yet melodic piece, driving on pure tension. It's dark, it's fearsome, almost Wagneresque. I know, there is no such word as "Wagneresque" but you get the idea. There are also strange pieces of ambient music, like the moog synth piece 'Cine-Camera Cinema' or the macabre sounding closer 'Blood Garden'.

I'm so happy that I eventually got into classical music and ambient, otherwise I might have never been able to appreciate true musical genius. After listening to this soundtrack a few times, I'm quite sure that Mansell is an outstanding composer, creating inspiring pieces of music that will never bore. So it's no wonder that I recommend this album to every fan of classical music out there. This will be played here a lot from now on...


​Serge
Comments

Cyril Secq / Orla Wren - Branches

7/4/2016

Comments

 
classical / ambient / experimental
Dronarivm
Amazon
bandcamp
Picture
Picture
THISISNOTABANDSHIRT - exclusive shirt designs by members of Merchants Of Air
This is the first time that Scottish sound artist Tui (Orla Wren) and French guitarist Cyril Secq (Astrïd) make an album together, even though Cyril has already contributed to some of Tui's previous albums. They haven't recorded this album together physically; Cyril sent Tui various unreleased tunes to work with and the result sounds organic and dreamy yet the generally high-pitched sound effects keep you aware of possible danger lurking around the corner. 

Because Tui has quite a remarkable way of creating barbed electronic sound effects from field recordings of natural sources (insects, water, a breeze, ...), Branches takes you outside, far away from the city, where you'll find Cyril plucking peaceful and relaxed tunes on his acoustic guitar. Hidden in this forest of sounds are a piano, a harmonium, a violin and an organ, which blend perfectly with the experimental soundscapes.

The whole ripples relatively peacefully towards the finale, la 'Huitième Branche', where some quite unexpectedly heavy drones (which were forecasted in the 'Troisième Branche') complete the experience of having lingered in what must have been an out-of-this-world place. It's a place definitely worth checking out for yourself if you like (or want to try out) some experimental post-neoclassical ambient.


Eline
Comments

Igor Longhi - The Flow

5/4/2016

Comments

 
classical 
Amazon
website
facebook
Picture
Picture
THISISNOTABANDSHIRT - exclusive shirt designs by members of Merchants Of Air
You know, with all the brutality, fuzz, violence, riffs and electronic beats (to name a few), running through my speakers on a daily basis, there is one thing that always seems to win. In my direct neighbourhood, some of the apartments surrounding mine to be specific, seems to be a piano. Whenever someone starts playing that thing, I often shut down my stereo and listen to the spontaneous sounds from behind the walls. 

So yes, I learned to love the piano, especially when someone with a lot of talent is cooperating with it. Yes, cooperating, sometimes I feel like every good piano piece is a duet between the instrument and the one touching the ivory. That certainly seems to be the case on this album. With the piano as central (and only) instrument, Italian composer Igor Longhi creates beautiful unsung songs, lullabies and imaginary landscapes.

What reviewers often do these days, is compare these piano pieces with modern day composers like Olafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm. However, my experience tells me that there is a lot more to these musicians and I'm often inclined to mention people like Chopin, Sibelius or, in this case, Wim Mertens. That certainly is the case with Igor Longhi, who seems to shun everything modern and delve deep into the gentle sound of his piano.

Sometimes the music is romantic, sometimes dramatic, sometimes playful, sometimes calm and subdued and sometimes extravert and immersive but there is always a touch of magic, as if the artist is merely the medium the piano needs to tell its stories. But you know, I could write down immense sentences about how brilliant this album is, or I can just sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty. I suggest you join me in doing the latter...


​Serge
Comments

Egor Grushin - Dominicano

30/3/2016

Comments

 
classical
Amazon
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
Check out this month's THISISNOTABANDSHIRT designs
Self-made Ukrainian composer Egor Grushin posted a quote from Aristoteles on his facebook page, which translates as "Only music has the power to shape character. With music, you can teach yourself to develop the right feeling." Music has an immense power indeed over every human, regardless of their age or appearance. Maybe it communicates directly with our soul, or would it be because music is so good at evoking memories and moods? 

We hear Egor Grushin on piano through the album, sometimes accompanied by Roksolana Pakholkiv on cello, and Yaroslav Dzhus on bandura. I love the dynamics and warmth of the combination of these acoustic instruments, but the piano-only pieces to me are equally magical. There's a good balance on Dominicano because only in a few composition the other instruments are dominantly present.

After a listen or ten of this self-released 2014 album, it finally occurs to me that Egor Grushin transforms my mood constantly. The general atmosphere is melancholic and warm, but there's a whole rainbow of feelings to explore.  

Whenever I try to finish this review, track three, 'Vento Domani' takes my breath and words away, maybe because it reminds me of Chopin's 'Raindrop Prelude' so much. The atmosphere is equally sad, fragile yet hopeful. And then, 'Kalsemarsch' makes me forget all about this sadness and also throws me back in time. My memory doesn't succeed in fixing this link, but it was a rather obscure DIY neoclassical album that was all about The Lord Of The Rings and which had one track with the same rhythm and playfulness. So I'm mentally in a medieval fantasy world when I listen to this one, where the sun shines, we got some food in our bellies and the trolls are miles away so no one in our party pays attention to our badly healing wounds. 

Everywhere through the album there's tenderness, longing, love, grief, hope, celebration and more, often combined in each track. The emotional effect of this music is so intense that it's very hard to find words to describe it for a reviewing rookie like me. 

So if I managed to arouse your curiosity, don't hesitate to check Dominicano out. If you want more, you don't have to wait long because in June Grushin will release a new album. I think it's time for his life work to cross the Ukrainian borders so that the rest of the world can go check him out live. I'm pretty certain that you would remember the height of your gooseflesh forever...



Eline

Comments

Jozef Van Wissem - When Shall This Bright Day Begin

8/3/2016

Comments

 
classical / experimental / folk
Consouling Sounds
bandcamp
Amazon
facebook
Foto
Picture
THISISNOTABANDSHIRT by Merchants Of Air, only available in March 2016
I've been looking forward to this one. We saw Jozef Van Wissem perform live twice: just him and his lute which he wields in such a diverse and controlled manner like only an extremely passionate musician can. We bought his album The Joy That Never Ends, which contains the same kind of non-verbal beauty. Appearantly, this Dutch composer has made a lot more albums than I thought, often working together with artists like Jim Jarmusch and Tilda Swinton. Jozef has also written soundtracks for films and a video game during his now 16 year old musical career.  

Quite a surprise for us that his latest album comes with subtle electronics, samples and sometimes vocals, although there are purely instrumental tracks too. The general atmosphere is darker than the work I've heard, which is emphasized by the album cover and the titles. In general, Jozef plays slower, that's for sure, a bit harsher and I sense even more affliction then I saw on his face during his concerts. This might of course be interpretation of mine, maybe Jozef is a very happy person. But did you ever see a happy man holding a self-castigating device or inventing a song title like 'On the incomparable nobility of earthly suffering'? 

There's something unique about this gloomy atmosphere - should I call it post-gloomy? I have the slight impression that this is someone who went through a lot of crap, and at one point decided to spend the rest of his life on stuff that really makes sense. The lute and meditation for example. 

There's quite some variety between the songs, but they share the atmosphere described above. It's impossible for me to choose a favourite, neither is there one which I don't like as much as the others. Jozef uses his own spoken word on 'You can't remain here', 'Detachment' and 'The ecstacy of the golden cross' which came as quite a surprise at the first listen. And suddenly during this listening session, Serge and I asked each other: "Where do we know this voice from?" Yes, Zola Jesus. Nika sings as beautiful as ever on the track 'Ruins' and it blends perfectly with the music. You can also hear her shoegazing chants in the opening track 'To lose yourself forever is eternal happiness'. What a gem of a title. 


What a gem of an album.


​Eline

Comments

Jakob Lindhagen - Skörheten (Fragility) Soundtrack

25/2/2016

Comments

 
soundtrack / ambient
Spotify
Foto
iTunes
Picture
Support Merchants Of Air Check out our THISISNOTABANDSHIRT collection
Sometimes I think my job on this planet is to bring and gratify a touch of friendliness onto this world. I live in a city where people are not being very nice to each other, something which has been bothering me for decades. So, whenever I encounter a friendly email from a modest musician, asking me politely if I would like to check out his newest release, the whole thing gets a certain charm and immediately raises my interest. So, Jakob, this one is for you, for being such a nice person.

Of course, that's not the only reason why I really wanted to check this out. The other reason was the music, obviously. It is the soundtrack for "Skörheten" (Fragility), a documentary movie, described as a "heartfelt and poetic depiction of a woman's struggle with depression and childhood traumas".  With a story like this, I would indeed expect a soundtrack with piano, soundscapes and an emotional atmosphere. And that is exactly what you get.

Although the piano seems to be the central element, this album is loaded with a blend of modern classical music and experimental ambient. Some of these pieces, mainly the ones where the piano is present, are deeply emotional pieces of music. Minimalism seems to be a keyword. There is not a note or touch too many and the whole breathes at atmosphere of solitude, loneliness and perhaps even hopelessness.

The latter certainly is present in some of the gloomy drone pieces on this album, where a gentle but continuous drone functions as the foundation for other instruments to thrive upon.  You can almost feel the emotion the protagonist of this story feels, you can almost place yourself in her place and cry her tears, feel her desire to step out of the destructive vicious circle. I haven't seen the film but I know for a fact that this music has the ability to make it a massive tearjerker.

In short, this started out as an act of friendliness in reply of a nice email and turned out to be such a beautiful and inspiring piece of work.  Music can indeed make or break a movie and this one certainly does the first.  If you are a fan of ambient, modern classical and emotional movie soundtrack, you should check this out. We're dealing with a tremendous talent here. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to cry for a few hours...


Serge

Comments

Jason Van Wyk - Attachment

22/2/2016

Comments

 
modern classical / ambient
Eilean Records
facebook
Foto
Picture
Support Merchants Of Air Check out our THISISNOTABANDSHIRT collection
After the previous sludge-metal assault, I really needed something to calm my nerves.  On those occasions, it's nice to see an email from Eilean Records coming in.  In the past months, this label has always managed to come up with something I really, really, really like and I don't think they will disappoint in the future.  In fact, Eilean is becoming synonymous with high quality ambient like ECM is synonymous with high quality jazz and Cold Meat Industry was synonymous with high quality...well, whatever CMI released.

Jason Van Wyk is a composer and producer from Cape Town, South Africa.  For this album, his second, he delves into the world of modern classical music.  Armed with piano, synths and electronics and aided by violin and cello players, he tries to immerse the listening into the elements, the calm atmosphere of an ocean, the inspiring appearance of stone, water or air. Does he succeed? Obviously, if not, Eilean Records wouldn't have released this beautiful piece of work.

It's very easy to compare this album to works of people like Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm or Sebastian Plano.  However, I feel like that doesn't honor this album as it should.  In fact, it's because of people like Jason Van Wyk that I've started to realize that Arnalds can be a bit too modern, electronic and cold for me, that Frahm is sometimes too experimental and that Plano might be a bit one sided.  

Don't get me wrong, I love those people's music. I spent countless of hours enjoying them.  It's just that I think I will enjoy the warm soundscapes and the fragile piano of Jason Van Wyk more. There's also plenty of variation, some pieces are minimal pieces of modern classical music, others, like 'Outset', my favorite, have a certain rhythm, reminding me of Tangerine Dream, for example. That variation gives the whole a nice flow, perhaps even something narrative.

Of course I recommend this album to everyone who loves ambient music and modern classical stuff, perhaps even to some new age adepts out there.  This is a warm, gentle and seductive album that will often appear in my playlists.  I can only advice you to check it out and let this gentle storm overtake you.  It's a soothing journey, I can promise you. 


​Serge
Comments

We Deserve This - Fusion

21/1/2016

Comments

 
classical / score / ambient
bandcamp
facebook
Foto
Picture
THISISNOTABANDSHIRT - exclusive shirt designs by members of Merchants Of Air
Several months ago I got acquainted by German post-rock entity We Deserve This when I reviewed his 'Pacific' album (read review).   I really digged his quite heavy style and to be honest, I was expecting something similar.  Needless to say that I was quite surprised by how this new album turned out.  Halfway throughout the album, the first time I listened to this, I said to my wife: "why is he still trying to sell this as post-rock?"

Wow, that might sound like a pretty harsh question, no?  Well, it is not.  This is not a post-rock album, this is a modern classical album where piano and strings are being enhanced by electronic percussion and a beautiful atmosphere.  This stuff is aiming directly for the thrones of people like Olafur Arnalds and Bersarin Quartett and with the right people behind him, We Deserve This could be playing big jazz and ambient festivals soon.

Now, don't get me wrong.  This is definitely something that will please fans of Mono and Godspeed! You Black Emperor but I would never hesitate to recommend this to fans of Nils Frahm or Sebastian Plano or even Boards Of Canada.  With the piano as central element, a trip-hop resembling set of beats and loads of cinematic soundscapes, We Deserve This managed to create something that convincingly crosses the borders between genres.

My personal favorites here are 'Fusion', 'Triangle' and closer 'Welcome Dear Monument', but that's a tough decision to make.  In fact, I much more prefer to play the entire album, often a few times in a row. There is not a lot of difference between the tracks, which are all made out of similar elements, which makes it perfect for concept-listening.  Concept-listening is a technique where the album is becoming a part of everyday activities, blending in perfectly with whatever I do, and this album certainly is good enough to do that. 


Serge
Comments

Exec - The Limber Real

15/1/2016

Comments

 
classical / singer/songwriter
Tambourhinoceros

Amazon
facebook

Foto
Picture
Support Merchants Of Air Check out our THISISNOTABANDSHIRT collection
There comes a time in everybody's life when a person has to do things differently, tone down and take a step back from the bustle and racket from everyday life.  Over the years I've seen many musicians suddenly take on a different approach, usually minimalistic and serene.  Like the death metal drummer who suddenly rediscovered the piano at his grandmother's house and started playing it.  That man is now widely successful and praised for his work.  That man's name is Olafur Arnalds.

There's quite a similar story to be found on this album.  Exec is Troels Abrahamsen, most notable for being the vocalist for Danish electro-rock band Veto.  He too rediscovered the piano, a instrument he knew very well as a child.  Fascinated by the warm, analog sound of this instrument, he started working on new songs, featuring nothing but the piano and his distinct voice.  The result is this splendid album, a solo performance in the best possible way.

There's another Olafur Arnalds reference.  The songs on this album remind me a lot of some of the ones on 'For Now I Am Winter', more specifically the ones with vocals.  Both excel in creating an atmosphere of solittude and often complete loneliness.  But not necessarily in a bad way. It feels a bit like sitting near an open fire in the heart of winter, cozy and soothing.  It's both modest and emotional.

My advice? Well, fact is that Mr. Abrahamsen has a distinct voice which might take some getting used to at first.  However, it still is a strong voice with plenty of timbre and dynamics to carry this album to a high level.  I do recommend this album to any fan of his work in Veto and as a vocalist in Kölsch and Audion.  The album shows a different style, one that I like a lot.  I wouldn't be surprised if Exec shows up on some of Europe's jazz-festival stages this summer, or in large theater venues. 


Serge
Comments

Shannon Hayden - You See the World 

13/1/2016

Comments

 
modern classical / electronic
website

bandcamp

facebook

Foto
Picture
THISISNOTABANDSHIRT - exclusive shirt designs by members of Merchants Of Air
Classical music and modern day electronics, it's a passionate love story, filled with romance, beauty and emotions.  Some purists are clearly against such a love affair but even they can't deny that there are some amazing talents in this scene.  Well, purists can deny everything, that's true but let's not mind them.  Let's enjoy this fascinating album by Chicago based composer Shannon Hayden.

Hayden is a professionally  trained cellist who loves to bend the rules of the game a little bit.  Playing the cello since she was seven, she enrolled into the Yale School of Music at eighteen and worked with contemporary composers Ezra Laderman and David Lang.  However, she wanted to explore the range of her instrument and the possibilities it has when combined with electronics.

That exploration eventually resulted in this album, a collection of 'guerrilla classics'.  It opens with the mesmerizing song 'Vanished', which reminds me of acts like Banks or Austra, perhaps if they would work with Olafur Arnalds.  Imagine what magic that cooperation would bring forth.  Well, this is that kind of magic.  'Same' takes on a similar approach, be it darker, a bit more industrial related maybe but still hauntingly magical.

I really like the gloomy and moody sound of Shannon's music.  It has a warm but mythical atmosphere.  Yet, there are also a few odd surprises, like the folky, happy but a bit creepy 'Baggage'.  It's almost a country tune but accompanied by deep electronic percussion.  Then there's the very (too) short dark ambient 'Interlude', which is followed by another beautiful downtempo track 'Starshine'. 

Oh man, 'Starshine' is beautiful.  It reminds me a lot of Monophona.  It combines classical cello with downtempo ambient and atmospheric post-rock.  'Accelerator' is another surprising and somewhat bizarre track.  Comparing it to Zoviet France making an avant-garde classical piece wouldn't even be so far-fetched.  'Voices' brings back the dark ambient feel with its spooky sound and closer 'Silver Superstar' comes highly recommended for Apocalyptica fans (and Tangerine Dream fans too).

It's been awhile since I've turned a review into a song-by-song description.  I was actually planing on no longer doing that because I believe there are always some things the reader should discover for himself.  However, this album is so awe-inspiring that I had no choice but to mention each song separately.  So yes, I am going to recommend this album to any fans of gloomy, slow and emotional music.  Brilliant piece of work...


Serge

Comments

CTM - Suite For A Young Girl

4/1/2016

Comments

 
Classical / Experimental
Tambourhinoceros
facebook

Foto
Picture
Support Merchants Of Air Check out our THISISNOTABANDSHIRT collection
One thing I've always admired in music is the strong tendency to survive and to blend with whatever is popular during certain eras.  Classical music has been around since the sixteenth century and is still massively popular.  It also mixes perfectly with other genres and certainly with electronics.  An excellent example is this album by Danish act CTM, which stands for Caecilie Trier Musik.

Caecile Trier is a composer, vocalist and cellist, active in the wonderful region between classical music and minimal electronics.  It's a world where people like Nils Frahm, Sebastian Plano and Olafur Arnalds also like to dwell, but in a different way.  On this album, the piano is not the main aspect, the song is.  The piano is present, along with a number of different instruments and electronics, but they all seem to serve on goal: making decent songs.

And decent these songs are (I know, that sounded like Yoda a bit).  These are quite dark pieces of music, often containing deep droning basses and minimal but effective electronic percussion and trippy beats.  They support the distinct voice of Caecile, which somehow reminds me of something between Tracy Chapman and Sade.  This voice gives the whole something warm, folk-related perhaps. 

This album certainly is something unique and there are some brilliant songs here, including 'The Way The Mouth Is A Mouth' and closer 'Escored/The Road'. The latter has something jazzy, which by the way is mildly present throughout the entire album.  So yes, I will recommend this to jazz fans, and to fans of classical influenced pop ballads.  Try it out, you'll be pleasantly surprised. I know I was...


Serge
Comments
<<Previous
    subscribe to our newsletter

    Genres

    All
    Acoustic
    Alternative
    Ambient
    Avant Garde
    Avant-garde
    Black Metal
    Blues
    Children
    Classical
    Country
    Crust
    Dark Ambient
    Dark Jazz
    Darkwave
    Death Metal
    Doom
    Dream Pop
    Drone
    Drum & Bass
    Dub
    Dubstep
    EBM
    Electro
    Electronic
    Ethereal
    Experimental
    Folk
    Folk Metal
    Funk
    Gothic
    Grindcore
    Grunge
    Hardcore
    Hard Rock
    Heavy Metal
    Hip Hop
    Hip-hop
    Idm
    Indie
    Industrial
    Instrumental
    Jazz
    Krautrock
    Martial
    Math Rock
    Metal
    Metalcore
    Neo Classical
    Neo-classical
    Neo Folk
    Neo-folk
    Noise
    Noise Rock
    Noise-rock
    Nu Metal
    Nu-metal
    Opera
    Pop
    Post Metal
    Post Punk
    Post Rock
    Progressive
    Psychedelic
    Psytrance
    Punk
    Reggae
    Rock
    Score
    Shoegaze
    Singer/songwriter
    Sludge
    Soul
    Southern Rock
    Speed Metal
    Stoner
    Symphonic Metal
    Synthpop
    Techno
    Thrash
    Triphop
    Trip-hop
    World

    Archives

    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

Find us on

facebook
google+
twitter
tumblr
​
minds

About Us

Contact
FAQ
Logos and banners
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.