The Victory Park False Silence (Radio Hand)

The debut album from a trio coming from Moscow does reflect a quite similar effect to the likes of Franz Ferdinand and Interpol, however, their output imposes even more on its roughness. I have listened a lot to The Victory Park in the recent days, being still not tired of them. Their music is uncompromising, seemingly having no intention for somewhat calculation regarding objects of utility, also lacking the annoying hermetics proper often to the studio walls and the producers of kind of I-know-which-is-the right way-to-record. It is personal anxiety and pessimism, which encourages those musicians to struggle on with their fights. Obviously it is inspired by post-punk and proto-indie forerunners (Joy Division, The Cure, The Chameleons, Durutti Column) came about from the end of the 70s and early 80s. Infused with the verbal side sustained by the pessimistic philosophy of life, and obscure moods. Inspite of darksidedness the guitar chords are played up to the glare and dinstinct flash and overdriving riffs do conduct a trip sometimes even further, crossing the boundaries of post-punk, of coming to the territory of shoegaze music (a la Swervedriver); beyond of that there is given importance to the neurotic drums and some pinch of electronics with the purpose to get push up this desired and obligatory dark appealing. A worth album mentioned in by many bloggers from around the world.

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9.3

[Old but important] Vlor sacred places in the city (Silber)

Brian John Mitchell and Russell Halász introduced their musical activity in 1992 while covering Bauhaus and The Cure songs on acoustic guitars, after which soon followed their first hiatus. Brian John Mitchell started with his new project Remora which more exactly did mean concentrating on guitar drone experiments, which obviously influenced Vlor`s subsequent aspirations in experimental vein.

Lavished EP was released in 1997 and luxate EP a year later (today the EP`s are offered as a joint album). Because they had no money at first to afford yourselves delay and reverb generating devices they were strained to use natural ambiences. For instance, a racquetball court. In short, it was solid shoegaze music with a fringe of loud reverberation reminding of some My Bloody Valentine`s most atmospheric and epic moments ( (When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream; No More Sorry; Moon Song) and experimental moments (Touched) as well; on the other hand it drives and impresses on a darker sequence and some sparsenss in rhythm or even lack of it aside as well, approaching in that way to the soundscape of another legend Lycia (by the way, Lycia`s Mike VanPortfleet is part of Vlor nowadays).

While having been the last joint record session sacred places in the city is a symbolic release first of all. Thereafter the closest friends have each other felt out (the situation which is comparable to Spaceman 3, isn`t?). Vis-à-vis with their previous publications the reverb effects have been more reduced for it. Guitar arpeggios have distinctly been roughed out.

Although the release is minimal by instrumentals and soundscape on there it is full of mood music as yet. There is no difference after all, in which way this 33-minute long set should be characterized anyway - shoegaze, post-rock, darkwave. On the other hand - while it is still far away from any of pop centres by its minimalist approach, it can be considered as one as being quite close to academic guitar approach, this album could have had a broader audience. Great music, great muscians.

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Jacques de Villiers sleepsongs (Jacques de Villiers)

Although in Cape Town (The South African Republic) residing Jacques de Villiers is yet a musician of unknown size amongst the (ambient) musicians the specifity of his roomy soundscape is comparable to a view as if it would take a look to the ocean at the Cape of Good Hope.

His debut album sleepsongs consists of 5 tracks which deliver the listeners experimental ambient music in its best own - ordinary ambient structures are mixed with drone, shoegaze and noise, though, these side effects are rather (vaguely) perceiveable. For instance, the beginning of Moon Ballad/Improvisation for Trevor/Shine a Light on Every Room (part 2) is a bit painful to listen to it through the headphones. After it is followed by melodic sequences and lone piano clinks to be ready for the epic parametres to be set up in its beauty. The ending The Dying Song/Mon Ami does trash around in its inner agones - a loose, even down-and-dirty bass tumult meets the vague sounds resounding far from unknown distances creating an impressive output which is far away from the dullness of usual ambient. Subsequently, sleepsongs is without mediocre symptoms - without any anemic paleness. Indeed, it is truly epic music being comparable to the picture as if seeing a ship sinking silently in a far distance. These tracks are like beautiful dreams, which actually do not have happy endings.

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8.9