Through a clearing in the foliage a solitary figure is perched on top of a precarious pyramid of abandoned ageing tyres, silhouetted against a sweeping azure bay from which a coastline of derelict, crumbling buildings emerge in various states of skeletal incompleteness, adorned with vegetation as nature reclaims lost ground and framed against a shrouded horizon ill lit by a … [Read more...]
Damanek – On Track
The call to arms comes in many guises. None, I suspect, have come with such sublime clarity of vision or such chilling emotional discernment than the passionately crafted debut album On Track from Damanek. The warm embrace of the sumptuous soundscapes are constructed with a thrilling elegance which frames an unnerving message delivered with a dark, poignant and disturbing … [Read more...]
Cyril – Paralyzed
Light, airy piano chords gradually emerge from the silence and gently come to a slow halt; moments later a barely perceptible layer of tingling keyboards fills the air, bass and drum announce a pointed yet restrained arrival and a light, breezy acoustic guitar plays a Mediterranean air. Husky, breathless vocals overlay the soundstage with a bewitching melody, building to an … [Read more...]
Seven Steps to the Green Door: Fetish
I will make no secret of the fact that I am a long time admirer of the truly remarkable Seven Steps to the Green Door. From the double award winning debut album The Puzzle (2006), to the tour de force of inspired musical excellence embodied in Step in 2 My World (2008), to the beautifully crafted and lovingly composed journey that is The?Book (2011: complete with painted nail … [Read more...]