post-rock
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2016 is becoming quite a good year for post-rock lovers. Not only did Russian Circles, Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai come with new releases but loads of other bands continue to explore the seemingly endless possibilities that this genre possesses as well. French quartet Lost In Kiev is one of those bands. They have just released this epic piece of work on the highly acclaimed Dunk! Records. I've been listening to the album a lot in the past few days, trying to figure out if it belongs in the "best-of-2016-post-rock" list or not.
The main problem I have with this album, is also it's biggest advantage. It's a classic post-rock album, containing all the necessary ingredients to make it a highlight in the scene. The songs are elaborate pieces work, alternating between heavy guitars and calmer passages, often accompanied with vocal samples. Yet, all of that has already been done before, making it extremely hard to stand out as a band. I guess that's something every post-rock band needs to deal with, and Lost In Kiev deals with that quite aggressively.
Perhaps that is where the album can truly stand out, in it's dark, spooky and often quite violent atmosphere. Lost In Kiev are no strangers to doom and sludge metal, that's for sure. The guitars often rage and grind with an intensely distorted sound. That atmosphere grows gradually in opener 'Narcosis' and evolves throughout the first part of the album, eventually resulting in a fierce face-smasher at the end of title track 'Nuit Noire'. With this track, the true genius of this album displays itself. Not that 'Insomnia' and 'Mirrors' are band songs, on the very contrary, but believe me, the best it yet to come.
And that best is the track 'Somnipathy', a song Tangerine Dream would have written if they decided to become a psychedelic post rock band. 'Somnipathy' simply is a masterpiece and an absolute highlight in its genre, blending vintage post-rock with immersive electronics. The piano and samples driven breather 'Catalepsy' is quite welcome after that heap of intensity, adding plenty of variation to the whole album. 'Resilience' delves deeper into the world of sludge metal, and with success. Headbanging definitely is a possibility on this one. 'Celestial' is an obtrusive piece of harsh ambient, bringing some 65 Days Of Static tunes to mind.
The album closes with another highlight in 'Emersion', another beautiful and immersive piece of music. By now, I'm definitely convinced that Lost In Kiev deserve all the attention they can get. 'Nuit Noire' is an intense journey, one that you need to add to your collection if you hold the post-rock genre close to your heart. I guess chances are big that this quartet will be on the main stage of next year's edition of Dunk! Festival and if so, they will undoubtedly deliver an awe-inspiring experience for the audience. So take my advice, buy the album, listen to it a lot and join me in the gloomy adventure that 'Nuit Noire' has become...
Serge
The main problem I have with this album, is also it's biggest advantage. It's a classic post-rock album, containing all the necessary ingredients to make it a highlight in the scene. The songs are elaborate pieces work, alternating between heavy guitars and calmer passages, often accompanied with vocal samples. Yet, all of that has already been done before, making it extremely hard to stand out as a band. I guess that's something every post-rock band needs to deal with, and Lost In Kiev deals with that quite aggressively.
Perhaps that is where the album can truly stand out, in it's dark, spooky and often quite violent atmosphere. Lost In Kiev are no strangers to doom and sludge metal, that's for sure. The guitars often rage and grind with an intensely distorted sound. That atmosphere grows gradually in opener 'Narcosis' and evolves throughout the first part of the album, eventually resulting in a fierce face-smasher at the end of title track 'Nuit Noire'. With this track, the true genius of this album displays itself. Not that 'Insomnia' and 'Mirrors' are band songs, on the very contrary, but believe me, the best it yet to come.
And that best is the track 'Somnipathy', a song Tangerine Dream would have written if they decided to become a psychedelic post rock band. 'Somnipathy' simply is a masterpiece and an absolute highlight in its genre, blending vintage post-rock with immersive electronics. The piano and samples driven breather 'Catalepsy' is quite welcome after that heap of intensity, adding plenty of variation to the whole album. 'Resilience' delves deeper into the world of sludge metal, and with success. Headbanging definitely is a possibility on this one. 'Celestial' is an obtrusive piece of harsh ambient, bringing some 65 Days Of Static tunes to mind.
The album closes with another highlight in 'Emersion', another beautiful and immersive piece of music. By now, I'm definitely convinced that Lost In Kiev deserve all the attention they can get. 'Nuit Noire' is an intense journey, one that you need to add to your collection if you hold the post-rock genre close to your heart. I guess chances are big that this quartet will be on the main stage of next year's edition of Dunk! Festival and if so, they will undoubtedly deliver an awe-inspiring experience for the audience. So take my advice, buy the album, listen to it a lot and join me in the gloomy adventure that 'Nuit Noire' has become...
Serge