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For our second eclipse review, we want to reveal where we got the name for our website. The Marble Index is the first album by Nico, where she clearly develops her idiosyncratic style. The first solo album, Chelsea Girls (1966), consisted mostly of sweet folkish pop songs, but The Marble Index is vastly different. Nico really set out on her own, which resulted in this groundbreaking, experimental album.
"Prelude" introduces the album with a calm piano and bells. This song immediately fades into "Lawns Of Dawns", where Nico's low, melancholic voice and harmonium playing are heard over an estranging musical background. "No One Is There" is more intimate, because of the different violin lines that accompany Nico. "Ari's Song" is a beautiful, but unsettling lullaby for her son, and also "Facing The Wind" has this personal character. The stormy atmosphere in the latter song are expressed by wild piano and percussion. On "Julius Caesar (Memento Hodie)", the harmonium is back in the foreground. "Frozen Warnings" reminds one of empty, frozen plains, but is also hopeful, because of the gentle development of the music. "Evening of Light" is threatening and ominuous, as if Judgment Day were at hand, and it is unclear whether salvation or eternal torment is to be our doom. Whichever way, the climax of the song inspires fear with the distorted heavy sounds and violin. After this, there is a calm following the storm, continuing with the wonderful "Roses In The Snow", where Nico, accompanied by harmonium and drones, sings some of the most beautiful lyrics ever. Finally, there is the a capella "Nibelungen", which proves that Nico is capable of impressing without instruments as well.
Now, after almost forty years, this album still sounds original, and, as a consequence, timeless. Nico's music is very experimental and surreal, but remains very personal and sincere on The Marble Index, a rare combination. We think this album is one of the absolute milestones in the history of dark experimental music, and therefore above all others representative for our website.
D.M.K.
"Prelude" introduces the album with a calm piano and bells. This song immediately fades into "Lawns Of Dawns", where Nico's low, melancholic voice and harmonium playing are heard over an estranging musical background. "No One Is There" is more intimate, because of the different violin lines that accompany Nico. "Ari's Song" is a beautiful, but unsettling lullaby for her son, and also "Facing The Wind" has this personal character. The stormy atmosphere in the latter song are expressed by wild piano and percussion. On "Julius Caesar (Memento Hodie)", the harmonium is back in the foreground. "Frozen Warnings" reminds one of empty, frozen plains, but is also hopeful, because of the gentle development of the music. "Evening of Light" is threatening and ominuous, as if Judgment Day were at hand, and it is unclear whether salvation or eternal torment is to be our doom. Whichever way, the climax of the song inspires fear with the distorted heavy sounds and violin. After this, there is a calm following the storm, continuing with the wonderful "Roses In The Snow", where Nico, accompanied by harmonium and drones, sings some of the most beautiful lyrics ever. Finally, there is the a capella "Nibelungen", which proves that Nico is capable of impressing without instruments as well.
Now, after almost forty years, this album still sounds original, and, as a consequence, timeless. Nico's music is very experimental and surreal, but remains very personal and sincere on The Marble Index, a rare combination. We think this album is one of the absolute milestones in the history of dark experimental music, and therefore above all others representative for our website.
D.M.K.