Evening of Light » richard moult

2011: A Retrospective

admin — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:23:45 +0000

We’re joining in the list fever this year – though not before the year is more or less through – with the favourite 2011 records from Evening of Light HQ. Of course we missed tons of good releases out there, but these at least are things we particularly enjoyed. Thanks to all the artists and labels for sharing their music with us.

First the top 10, in alphabetical order.

The A. Lords – The A. Lords (Rif Mountain) [Our Review]

The LP followup to 2006′s self-titled 3″ is a masterpiece of pastoral, almost ambient, folk. Nicholas Palmer and Michael Tanner‘s blend of many acoustic instruments with field recordings, and quite a few fortuitous guest appearances, makes for a wonderful album that started out as a relaxed summer favourite and turned into a classic for all seasons.

Bass Communion – Cenotaph (Tonefloat)

Steven Wilson‘s drone project hits bullseye with this CD/LP release on tonefloat. The four massive tracks on this album combine ultra-deep drones with pulsating beats in a flawless production. One of the most hypnotic releases of the year!

Burial Hex – Book of Delusions (Brave Mysteries) [Our Review]

Aural insanity is one way to describe the utterly original and uncompromising output of Burial Hex the past few years. It appears the project is ending after this year, but Book of Delusions is one of the testaments to its genius, combining drones, samples, organ, piano, demented screams, and hypnotic beats into an unholy musical mixture.

Momick – Momick (Bladud Flies!) [Our Review]

Richard Moult and Michael Lawrence bring their lysergic piano morphing to a debut full length filled with melancholic melodies and soundscapes, including beautiful guest performances by David Tibet on vocals and Mark Baigent on oboe.

Obsequiae – Suspended in the Brume of Eos (Bindrune) [Our Review]

This duo’s excellent blend of death/black metal and mediaeval musical inspiration makes for an album steeped in energy, solid riffs, and awesome melodies. Our metal tip of the year!

Premonition Factory – The Sense of Time (Longstreet) [Our Review]

A flawless ambient album, and a crown on a long tradition. Sjaak Overgaauw‘s live looping technique is marvellous and the mixture of light and dark, soft and harsh on this album marks the coming of age of a most excellent project. This one just keeps on growing and is not only one of our favourite albums of this year, but one of our favourite albums, period.

Rain Drinkers – Springtide (Reverb Worship)

This project is one of our favourite discoveries of the year, and their blend of organic ambient and cinematic music (for lack of a better description) is consistently excellent. Springtide is their finest work, though, featuring marvellous violin and string work, heavy drones, organ, and tons of atmosphere.

Sand Snowman – The World’s Not Worth It (Tonefloat) [Our Review]

Sand Snowman’s most recent album is another winner, with a particularly excellent mix of progressive folk and rock songs, as well as soundscape-like episodes. Great use of piano, flutes, clarinet, and a guest appearance by Steven Wilson make this an excellent new full-length.

Tenhi – Saivo (Prophecy) [Our Review]

Refined as ever, Tenhi’s latest is easily one of the best albums of the year in the neofolk area. Despite staying true to their own style, they’re still quite a distance ahead of most others in this area and Saivo is as much a pleasure to listen as its predecessor from five years ago.

Maarten van der Vleuten – The Scars Remain (Tonefloat)

Of course we’re quite partial to the Van der Vleuten album we released ourselves in 2010, but this year’s return to vinyl (and to tonefloat) is simply a masterpiece. His original electronic compositions are masterfully fused with influences and themes from martial industrial, but with Maarten’s own critical view on the subject matter.

The following albums, too, are all particularly recommended in their own right as quality releases from 2011:

Alcest – Le Secret (Prophecy) [Our Review]:
Rerecording of Alcest’s excellent shoegaze/black metal debut EP.
Peter Bjärgö – The Architecture of Melancholy (Cyclic Law):
The Arcana frontman presents seven nice darkwave/gothic tracks.
Kate Bush – 50 Words for Snow (Fish People):
Surprising and very fulfilling, Bush’s minimal jazzy piano landscapes delight.
Circulation of Light – LEDNAH : Seven Meditations On G.F. Handel’s Organ Concertos Op. 4 (Brave Mysteries):
Acoustic/ambient reinterpretations of a classical piece.
The Cloisters – Little Winter [Our Review]:
Yule album combining harp and ambient by Michael Tanner and Aine O’Dwyer.
Jon DeRosa – Anchored EP (Silber) [Our Review]:
Four pure and lovely indie pop songs from the man behind Aarktica.
The Doomed Bird of Providence – Will Ever Pray (Front and Follow) [Our Review]:
Original and intense nautical neofolk.
The Driftwood Manor – Shelter EP (Rusted Rail):
Five lovely Irish folk tracks on this bonus EP to The Same Figure, Leaving.
Joonatan Elokuu – Earth, Sky, Moon and Sun EP (Utupuu):
Recorded in Holland, Elokuu presents a wonderful blend of neofolk, ambient, and field recordings.
Higuma – Pacific Fog Dreams (Root Strata) [Our Review]:
Gorgeous guitar and vocal drones.
Andrew King – Deus Ignotus (Epiphany) [Our Review]:
Powerful traditional balladry, with a touch of industrial aesthetics.
Machinist – Of What Once Was (Moving Furniture):
Sophisticated drones from the Netherlands.
Richard Moult – Celestial King for a Year (Second Language) [Our Review]:
Experimental compositions for strings and voice.
Raising Holy Sparks – Beyond the Unnamed Bay (Fort Evil Fruit):
Agitated Radio Pilot’s David Colohan returns with his new project, blending lovely folk tunes and experimental electronics.
Rose Croix – Rose Croix (Brave Mysteries) [Our Review]:
Ethereal and martial industrial meet on this nostalgic cassette mini-album.
Ulver – Wars of the Roses (K-Scope) [Our Review]:
Slightly underwhelming, the Norwegians’ latest is still a quality album, particularly the massive spoken word ending.
Vidna Obmana – 1987-2007 – Chasing the Odyssey (Tonefloat) [Our Review]:
Mostly older material, but this 8LP box of ambient glory is too beautiful not to remind you of.
Vortex – Rockdrill (Cyclic Law):
Ritual and rhythmic ambient goodness from this Golgatha side project.

Cloudscape #21: December 2011

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:12:23 +0000

Cloudscape #21: December 2011 by Evening Of Light on Mixcloud

Review: Momick (2011)

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:01:47 +0000

artist: Momick
release: Momick
format: LP
year of release: 2011
label: Bladud Flies!
duration: 36:58

detailed info: discogs.com

Momick is a new project by Richard Moult and the bricoleur (Michael Lawrence) where they elaborate upon the mix of piano and electronic manipulation that we first heard on some tracks of Moult’s Ethe album. This style draws upon an exaggeration of the reverberating and drifting qualities of the piano sound, which brings the music somewhere in between classical and ambient.

The melodic tone of Momick is often melancholy or oppressive, and far less bright and folky than the otherwise lovely LP cover suggests. The intensity of the effects overlaying the piano sound wavers, resulting in a nice tension between crisper parts and other moments when the sound is a thick, massive wash, with even an outburst of noise at one point.

Variation between movements is considerable, particularly with the addition of some guest appearances here and there, to wit the lovely oboe of Mark Baigent in the fourth track, and the singular voice of David Tibet in a particularly emotional performance on the fifth. Of particular note too is the sixth movement, with its delightful piano swells that form a melody – or rather, a torrent of chords – that is slightly more uplifting than the rest of the album. The long final piece ends the album as it began, with a more mournful cadence.

Momick is obviously a recommended album if you enjoyed any of Moult’s earlier piano works, particularly Ethe, which featured experiments in this more ambient/electronic direction. For that reason, the album might also appeal to a more general ambient audience who are open to some interstitial dark piano sounds.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. 3:46
2. 4:57
3. 6:17
4. 2:20

5. 5:43
6. 3:35
7. 10:20

Cloudscape #18: September 2011

admin — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:21:58 +0000

Cloudscape #18: September 2011 by Evening Of Light on Mixcloud

August 2011 Short Reviews

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Café de l’Enfer - Marchant à quatre pattes au-devant de la rédemption [discogs]

Marchant à quatre pattes au-devant de la rédemption

This debut full-length by Café de l’Enfer on Steinklang is a typical piece of martial/neoclassical as we’ve come to know it for over a decade. The album seeks to confront the listener with the decadence of our age and ages past, drawing copiously from fin de siècle and interbellum imagery in the visual – mostly vintage pornography on the inside of the digipak – textual, and aural aspects of the release.

The music doesn’t really stand out from other martial projects that I’ve heard during the past years. The compositions are sophisticated but predictable, the instrumentation is a bit too synthetic at some points for my tastes. It’s certainly not amateuristic, but it is rather hum-drum. Some parts are certainly worth your time, such as the end of “La forêt obscure” and the threatening marches of the title track, but overall I didn’t find this a very exciting album.

It is interesting that the contrast between decadence and revolutionary order is such a recurring theme in music like this, because it sometimes seems to me that genre as a whole went from revolutionary innovation to decadent complacency and conformity. A pity. [OS]

Locrian – Dort Ist Der Weg / Frozen in Ash [discogs ]

Dort Ist der Weg

An upcoming 7″ single by US guitar droners Locrian tackles a track originally recorded by Popol Vuh. The new version updates the krautrock classic to a rawer, heavier sound, infusing it with dirty and gritty guitars, and replacing the flighty female vocals of the original with subdued chanted variants. While I would be hard-pressed to say that this version matches the level of the original – parts of the excellent riffing and melody are lost in translation – there is something repetitive, plodding and typically Locrian about it that makes it a good listen nonetheless.

The single is backed with “Frozen in Ash”, another great piece focusing on raw drones, a bit of black metal styling, and a satisfying conclusion with rolling percussion and descending piano movements. In short, Locrian’s Dort Ist Der Weg is an interesting single that will surely please those familiar with the band, as well as an interesting introduction for those who are not. [OS]

Susan Matthews & Richard Moult – Music for Two Pianos Vol. 1 [discogs]

Music for Two Pianos Vol. 1

A recent gem from the network of small musical publications in Britain is this collaboration between Matthews and Moult, who sat down to improvise delicate pieces for piano. Now, I don’t have the musicological education to be able to place the compositions that emerged from these sessions in terms of style or even tonality, but based on pure feeling they are delicate and subtle, and very satisfying to listen to.

A bit like many of Moult’s solo piano works, the melodies on this album speak a unique language that is not directly referential or concrete. Sometimes they can set a mood of wonder or melancholy, but always at such an abstract level that they hold on to a certain mystic power. The seven tracks manage to hold on to a beautiful, calm flow for 45 minutes, and are highly recommended listening for anyone interested in experimental piano music.

Sadly, this one was limited to a mere 50 copies on Sonic Oyster records, so you’ll either have to look for a second-hand or mailorder copy, or wait for volume 2, which I hope is in the works. [OS]

Z’ev & Jason Kahn – Intervals [discogs]

Intervals

This CD on Monotype offers two live recordings by Z’ev and Jason Kahn in Switzerland, April 2009. While I was anxious to hear these gigs, I was somewhat disappointed by the result. While the experimental improvised percussion by both artists (with some minimal electronics as well) is certainly interesting, I feel it might have been more interesting to witness it live and up close than on a recording. That way you can really experience what it is they are doing and how they construct their abstract soundscapes.

As it stands on CD, the abstraction goes a bit too far for me, and without any visual cues or physical presence, the sound quickly lose their import. This is aggravated by the muddy, mediocre recording quality, which downplays the fine detail of sound that is an essential part of the value of experimental percussion and surely audible when one is up close to the actual performance. [OS]

Review: Richard Moult – Celestial King for a Year (2011)

admin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:16:28 +0000

artist: Richard Moult
release: Celestial King for a Year
format: CD-R
year of release: 2011
label: Second Language
duration: 34:10

detailed info: discogs.com

While the majority of Richard Moult‘s recent musical works focused on piano compositions, this year’s Celestial King for a Year is something of a new course, or perhaps only a temporary sojourn into new territory.

The first of three parts on this album consists solely of a mournful composition for strings, of which Moult uses a quintet on this release: three violins (Ben Sansom, Isobel Found, John Cheshire Joiner) and two violas (Alexandria Lawrence, Henry Pye). The sound of the piece is in line with the atmosphere present on others of Moult’s works – loneliness, a powerful or even overpowering numinous natural presence – but decidedly more minimalistic.

This effect is strengthened in the second movement, where Jessica Constable‘s layered and treated voice weaves thick patterns that manage to be unnerving, sad, and comforting at the same time. Constable transcends the boundaries of classical voice, endowing the performance with raw edges in appropriate places.

The final part returns to strings as instrumentation, with some added effects and faint echoed voices. It is by far the longest movement, but unfurls more melodic development than those that came before, and this prevents the piece from becoming an overlong excercise. Particularly towards the end the intricacy of Moult’s composition sinks in, where subtly reverberating waves and a more ambient mood are introduced, mostly coming from mellotron and electronics, the only instruments Moult plays himself on this album.

Celestial King for a Year is one of Richard Moult’s more unique recent releases, where he reconfirms his singular vision as a composer. The release as a whole, lovingly put out by Second Language, and featuring an art print of Moult’s lovely portrait of harpist Áine O’Dwyer of United Bible Studies, is sure to delight lovers of his earlier works, as well as those interested in modern classical/experimental composers in general.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Part I (7:11)
2. Part II (7:33)
3. Part III (19:26)

:EOL03: Agitated Radio Pilot – Lights Beneath the Lake / Nothing Is Truly Lost

admin — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:03:23 +0000

Out Now!

The third Evening of Light release is a double album by Agitated Radio Pilot, the project of David Colohan. It combines the EP Lights Beneath the Lake on 3″ CD-R with the compilation Nothing Is Truly Lost on 5″ CD-R. The first album is a new recording focusing on an experimental mixture of folk and ambient, featuring Richard Moult, Gavin Prior, and Brian Conniffe as guest musicians. The second album collects twelve tracks that are previously unreleased or were released in the past on rare compilations. Here too, David combines beautiful songs on acoustic guitar and piano with ambient and noisy instrumental compositions. It features a wide range of guest artists, including John Cavanagh, Aaron Coyne, Shane Cullinane, Annemarie Deacy, Jani Hellén, Aaron Hurley, Vicky Langan, Scott McLaughlin, Gavin Prior, Enda Trautt, and Keith Wallace.

artist: Agitated Radio Pilot
release: Lights Beneath the Lake / Nothing Is Truly Lost
layout: OS & DMK
duration: 14 tracks, 62:59
format: 3″ CD-R + 5″ CD-R
release date: August 2011
catalogue number: :EOL03:

Press:

**** review on Norman Records

Use the player below for a sample preview of this release, containing snippets from 8 of the 14 tracks:

:EOL03: Agitated Radio Pilot – Lights Beneath the Lake / Nothing is Truly Lost [Teaser] by Evening of Light

Artwork:

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%%album=0%%

Cloudscape #15: June 2011

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:05:56 +0000

Cloudscape #15: June 2011 by Evening Of Light on Mixcloud

time | artist | track | album | year

New Richard Moult EP: Free Download

admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:12:36 +0000

A new EP by our first label artist Richard Moult was released in a very limited subscription 3″ on the label Rural Colours, but it is now also available as a free download from archive.org.

The work, entitled Procyon over Beinn Airigh Charr, is a piece almost 19 minutes in length, combining ambient piano manipulations as heard on the album Ethe with the clear piano melodies as heard in most of his work thus far.

Please visit the release page on Rural Colours for more information and a download link.

Cloudscape #2: May 2010

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 07:22:15 +0000

Evening of Light Cloudscape #2 : May 2010 by Evening Of Light on Mixcloud

Review: Richard Moult – Ethe (2010)

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:37:35 +0000

artist: Richard Moult
release: Ethe
format: CD
year of release: 2010
label: Deadslackstring
duration: 53:26

detailed info: discogs.com

In the barren days of the present many of us look around for art that is serious without being pretentious; that is beautiful without being kitsch; that is challenging without being alienating; that is autonomous without being egotistical; that is melancholy without being self-indulgent. And we usually look in vain, because such art is no longer wanted in the modern market place where art itself has become a branch of the entertainment industry, designed to elicit shallow responses and provoke false outrage. In this cultural desert, the seeker after true art will see the work of the English composer and painter Richard Moult as a welcome oasis.

Richard’s new album, Ethe, is one musical manifestation of a wider project that also encompasses poetry and painting. This new phase represents something of a departure from Richard’s earlier work. As a painter his mature work began with a series of landscapes, mostly of the Welsh Marches. These works conveyed such a lucid apprehension of the landscape that they seemed to be direct expressions of the essence of the natural world, rather than mere depictions of it. They conveyed to the viewer something of the secret soul of nature as experienced and mediated by the artist in his relationship with his environment. In these paintings the world of nature was not some external thing that the artist tried to frame, or master; instead she was an intimate ally who was worshipped.

Increasingly, figures began to appear in the landscapes: birds; young girls; statues; foxes. And then, as these elements began to form a coherent and unique artistic perspective, there came the appearance of some surreal and idiosyncratic devices: figures formed in the clouds; sinister children dressed in outdated clothing. Throughout all of these explorations there was a strong sense of style and vision that remained consistent. Whatever the subject matter, there was always a clarity to the execution of the work and an accessibility of form that made the paintings come alive.

A few years ago this carefully developed style was put aside and the mysterious Ethe paintings began to appear. These pictures seemed to signal a complete break from what had gone before. Abstract, dark, and formless, the Ethe paintings suggested that the artist was retreating completely into a world of interior symbolism, and that the clarity of vision that had applied itself so successfully to the world of nature would now be turned inwards. The Ethe paintings are dark, cloudlike, with the occasional leakage of light pouring through. Where before sunlight had burst through clouds with violence and passion, seeding nature with its life giving power, now the light is dim, unclear, muted. In these new paintings, the clouds are dark and oppressive, the light, fugitive and weak. And beyond the interplay of the cold light and the cold darkness, there is nothing; no hint of landscape, no grounding in any recognisable imagery. What is clear from the Ethe paintings is that we are no longer dealing with art which attempts to mediate the artist’s vision through a shared landscape; these are raw and primal expressions of desolation.

Similarly, the album, Ethe, represents a new musical direction. Many of Richard’s previous compositions had been settings of poems in the song tradition of composers such as Schubert, Fauré and Finzi. These songs, many of which were settings of Mary Webb poems, were all composed with the intention of allowing the music to be subservient to the poetry. The role of the composer was to allow the inherent musicality of the poetry to express itself. In this sense, these were very conservative compositions. They eschewed modern conventions and refused to be platforms for the composer’s own intellectual ideas, or ego. But despite (or perhaps, because of) the conventional form these songs took, they were small masterpieces that were capable of conveying great emotional feeling through their melodies. Despite the superficially “old-fashioned” style, these were songs that could communicate directly with the listener because the musical vision was expressed with such clear intent and focused eloquence. Part of this eloquence consisted in the accessibility of the melodies which provided such a pleasing and appropriate reflection of the poetry’s form. With Ethe, this convention of form has disappeared.

The new phase was presaged with the release of the two limited edition CDs, Suite for Titouan and Suite for Hippolyte. These consist of solo piano pieces that are dark, brooding and less accessible than the earlier song compositions. The tone of intense melancholy is sustained throughout these suites, and is explored further and deeper with the music on Ethe. The outstanding moment from these Suites is the concluding movement from Titouan which begins with a sense of tidal ebb and flow and concludes with a brooding and introspective sense of irresolution. A storm is brewing, but will it break?

Ethe begins with a five part piece entitled “The Five Daughters”. This opens with a feel not too dissimilar to Satie’s “Gymnopédies”, but it soon reveals that its real intent lies, not in the imitation of earlier forms, and certainly not in the emulation of an intellectualised experimentalism, but rather in the expression of a deeply felt, intuitive, musical melancholy. Whilst this music is certainly darkly introspective and serious, it is nowhere unpleasant or disengaging. Indeed, when listened to superficially it can sound like a pleasing, if downbeat, impressionist work, in the vein of Satie or Debussy. But, like a river, the pretty surface conceals murky depths with dangerous undercurrents.

Much of the music on Ethe lends itself to comparisons with natural phenomena: rain; thunder; rivers. The comparison is important: this music expresses certain subjective emotions, but this expression is never allowed to become undisciplined and self-indulgent. Instead, the emotional power of the music is always commensurate to natural phenomena. Whether this is intentional or not, I do not know, but with repeated listening it becomes apparent that this music is measured against the slow changing backdrop of natural phenomena. The subject matter seems to be the interior emotional landscape of the artist himself, but the articulation of this interior landscape is certainly rooted in the natural world. This dialectical conversation between the interior and the exterior produces some masterpieces of understated beauty.

A couple of the pieces on Ethe, “Swaermian”, and “The Road to Strata Florida” I and II, utilise a technique referred to as ‘Lysergic Morphing’. As the name implies, this has a slightly hallucinatory effect, being a modulation of the piano music combined with an ominous sounding overlay of droning effects. The effect of this is to liberate the music from the confines of its own instrumentation and to achieve a transcendence to a more ethereal sound. This effect, I believe, is one that is intended by all of the music on Ethe. It is a desire to free the music from particular forms of association, and ultimately from form itself, so that the music will allow certain stilled, contemplative states to be gained.

We are used to hearing music that works in rather childish ways; that takes us by the hand and attempts to induce in us trite emotional states. It often creates a sense of yearning by juxtaposing certain notes or chords that create a certain resonance in the listener. These melodic references are often repeated or echoed throughout a piece of music. This has the effect of making the listener refer back to earlier parts of the piece, and anticipate forthcoming parts. In this way, we become used to a music that grounds us in a sense of temporal progression, and, often, emotional shallowness. On Ethe, there is a constant sense of yearning, but it is not experienced as a desire to refer back and forth to different parts of the music. Instead, there seems to be an intention to create a sense of yearning born in each moment of listening. The effect of this is to free the listener from the ebb and flow of temporal concerns, and to induce a state of being that is both calm and alert.

Something of this effect was hinted at in some of Richard’s earlier paintings. The diptych, Reckoning, shows a house seen across an overgrown meadow. Each canvas depicts the same scene viewed from the same perspective, but the first canvas is a daytime scene, the second, nocturnal. In the second, an owl is flying over the meadow. Other than this, there is little more to be said about what is contained in these paintings, but the effect of their juxtaposition is to inspire a sense of wonder at the often secret, hidden, world of nature, and of the altogether different way in which time unfolds in the absence of a human participant. This diptych makes us feel as though we have been permitted to see this hidden world of nature without unnecessary contextualisation. We see the inevitable alternation of night and day and feel a respect for the patient passage of time as it unfolds beyond human reckoning.

On Ethe, the music inspires a similar response. We become immersed in a sad and serious frame of mind but we begin to feel that we are dwelling contentedly in the moment rather than running towards some emotional peak or trough. We feel a calming sense of repose that is both psychological and physiological, and yet we remain fully attentive. The music is full of the transformations of nature, full of the tidal ebb and flow of powers greater than us, and the communion with such forces begins to induce in us a meditative state of being. This effect, of dwelling in the ubiquity of the present moment, has its parallels in other musical projects. Gurdjieff and De Hartmann collaborated on a series of sacred pieces for piano in the 1920’s. These works can provoke a stilled, meditative response in the listener, but they are largely derivative of the folk traditions that inspired them. Ethe seeks to achieve a rather more direct, unmediated, pathway to the transcendent.

The album feels as though it has no real sense of resolution. Such an imposition of form would contradict its intent. Instead, there is a calm unfolding that finishes with the artist reciting one of his Ethe poems. The voice has been modulated in a similar way to the Lysergically Morphed pieces, so that the words are lost in the timbre of the voice. As a musical interpretation of a poem, it is somewhat different from the earlier Schubertian settings, but in its own way, it belongs to that tradition, as it is neither arbitrary nor formless. Through its transcendent Etherisation it becomes an eerie evocation of something mysterious, and beyond form. It is a fitting end to this impressive piece of work.

Guest review by Chris Pankhurst

Tracklist:

1. The Five Daughters I (3:54)
2. The Five Daughters II (2:09)
3. The Five Daughters III (5:45)
4. The Five Daughters IV (1:51)
5. The Five Daughters V (6:47)
6. Swaermian (7:52)
7. Star Filled Tree, Blacksburg (4:11)
8. The Road To Strata Florida I (4:14)
9. The Road To Strata Florida II ( 16:43)

Review: Far Black Furlong – Caerbre (2009)

admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:00:58 +0000

Digital Cover

CDr Cover

artist: Far Black Furlong
release: Caerbre
format: 3″ CDr, Digital
year of release: 2009
label: Reverb Worship (3″), Box of Woks (Digital)
duration: 19:35

detailed info: discogs.com.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on this website, you’ll know I’ve been very enthusiastic about Far Black Furlong‘s earlier releases. And I’m happy to say that they keep on delivering the goods, starting with this new two-track EP, released on a 3″ CDr by Reverb Worship and as digital download by Box of Woks. The physical edition is limited to 52 copies in beautiful pressed flower paper, so act fast!

The sound on this release is quite ambient, though not as abstract as on Haidd 2. A rather empty beginning with sudden crescendos sets the stage for a dark, mysterious first track, with a lead role for oboe, but other instruments providing a subtle backdrop. The musical theme is basically repeated in the second track, but quite soon, piano and other string instruments add melodic variations that make up the greater part of this track. Combined with the artwork, this EP conjures up a darkened, organic atmosphere that combines perfectly with electro-acoustic approach of the band. With every release, Far Black Furlong manages to use basically the same stylistic ingredients but put the emphasis exactly in a new place, that makes each piece refreshing.

It’s a short EP, and I can be short about it: another brilliant recording by these until now severly overlooked British masters of ambient, acoustic and classical sounds. This one deserves your full attention if you are interested in experimental ambient music in any way.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Time Lapse At Caer Din (9:03)
2. Winter Flowers, Caerbre (10:32)

:EOL01: Richard Moult – Suite for Hippolyte

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:00:40 +0000

Suite for Hippolyte is a new piece for solo piano by English composer and painter Richard Moult, who has released several solo records, and has worked with artists like David Tibet, United Bible Studies, Far Black Furlong and Agitated Radio Pilot.

This suite is one of a set of shorter works released by small independent labels, and it is a prime example of Richard’s musical vision, combining timeless, abstract compositions with an atmosphere that is mystical, organic and natural. It will be appreciated by lovers of evocative classical and ambient music, as well as those into the works of Michael Cashmore, Nature and Organisation and Current 93.

Suite for Hippolyte is the first release on the Evening of Light label, a sister project to the Evening of Light webzine, which has been in existence since October 2006. The suite is released on a hand-stamped 3” CDr, and housed in a folded and decorated coloured paper cover, including a small, calligraphed booklet.

artist: Richard Moult
release: Suite for Hippolyte
layout: D.M.K. & O.S. (Evening of Light)
duration: 7 tracks, 16:40
release date: June 1st 2009
catalogue number: :EOL01:
availability: Limited edition of 100 unnumbered copies. Still available. See our order page to order this release, or for more info.

Use the player below for a preview of this release:

Richard Moult – Suite for Hippolyte by Evening of Light

Reviews & Press:

-Played on KinkFM X-rated
-Played and reviewed by Ian Holloway for Wonderful Wooden Reasons
-Reviewed by Jon Lorenz for Foxy Digitalis

Links:

Richard Moult (Official Website)
Richard Moult (MySpace)

Review: Agitated Radio Pilot – World Winding Down (2007)

admin — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:00:12 +0000

artist: Agitated Radio Pilot
release: World Winding Down
format: 2xCD
year of release: 2007
label: DeadSlackString
duration: 1:36:27

detailed info: discogs.com.

Released in late 2007, World Winding Down is Agitated Radio Pilot‘s first album on (non-recordable) CD, and a double one at that! It also might turn out to be David Colohan‘s masterpiece, because I would surely be intimidated if the project ever manages to create something even better. Little known though it is, I believe music like this is so much better than most of what gets released nowadays in related areas like folk and singer/songwriter. On this album, Agitated Radio Pilot takes elements from those genres and really pushes them beyond into brilliant new territories.

In a way, World Winding Down is a logical follow-up to 2006′s Your Turn To Go it Alone; the main emphasis is again on melancholic songs based on guitar and vocals. However, the role of instrumentals has become bigger, making this album the, for me, perfect synthesis of great songs and beautiful acoustic soundscapes and interludes. An impressive host of guest artists provides instrumental and vocal support to all of this; it would be a bit much to list all them – they fill up an entire page on the booklet – but some of the more important are Richard Moult (Far Black Furlong) on piano, Maja Elliott on keyboards and vocals, and Alison O’Donnell (Mellow Candle) on vocals. Another important element are the many field recordings (mainly by Gavin Prior and Anders Gjerde) and bird songs that are subtly woven into both the songs and the instrumentals.

Now, for a brief impression of the structure of the album. Not only is this a double album, there is also a very strong symmetry between Numinous Blues and Luminous Blues. Both have twelve tracks, to start with, and are about 45 to 50 minutes long. But the nature of the corresponding tracks on each half is also quite similar. The first track on both sides is an instrumental intro. The one half has a warm droning soundscape, while the other has beautiful short piano composition by Richard Moult with guest vocals by Larissa Pychlau (Cele) and added effects. The second and third tracks are all excellent examples of Colohan’s typical type of songwriting. Especially “All That Fall” and “Around Closing Time” display his undeniable talent for both song and lyric writing. The fourth tracks take this even further though; “Caroline Sings” and “Take Heed of Your Hurt” are both stunningly beautiful songs, each with backing vocals by O’Donnell and keyboards by Elliott. Tracks five are both interludes, and the sixes and sevens contain (what else) central tracks. The title track and “Another Day” (a Roy Harper cover) are both great, but the sevens must be some of my absolute favourites. On this pair, Richard Moult and David Colohan form the perfect duo, bringing two extraordinarily beautiful piano songs. I hope to hear these two together more often in the future! The symmetry is a bit less from this point on, but mention goes anyway to “Earthfasts”, another one of my favourite tracks. It’s the longest one, and a great exercise in freefolk experimentation. It starts off with some great bluesy guitar and strings work by Richard Skelton, and then moves into great modern folk piece, where most of the female guest vocalists join in as a choir, also featuring Sharron Kraus this time. The two by two times final tracks are again similar. The elevens are final pieces of regular song, while the two closing tracks take a laid-back ambient approach, ending both sides of the album on a moody, melancholic note.

Though the album is not without a few flaws (mostly to do with performance of some of the guest vocalists and some of the noisy guitar solos), if there’s any album that has enough merit to cover up tiny blemishes ten times over, it’s this one. The way already excellent songs are combined with the musical detail and depth of sound that we hear on all of these songs here is the mark of a true classic. In this way, World Winding Down transcends genre limitations and unites the best elements from different areas of music. Of course it still is, mainly, a ‘folk’ album, but you’ll soon discover that is also much more. Just as the basic melodies of the folk song become something more through the combination with soundscapes and experimentation, so do the lyrics, and a song which in other contexts would be ‘just’ about love and loss, becomes even more profound.

If it’s not clear by now that I’m enthusiastic about this album, you haven’t been reading very well. This is easily my favourite album of 2007, and one of those rare albums that makes me doubt whether I should break my rule of not giving higher grades than 9 when an album is just released. Enough talk – go out and give this one a listen, and spread the word. If Colohan doesn’t get any recognition for this, the world is a poor place…

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

I. Numinous Blues:
1. A Darkness Made of Beating Wings (4:16)
2. All That Fall (3:39)
3. Everybody Lives (Just This Once) (3:24)
4. Caroline Sings (5:33)
5. For Medb (2:32)
6. World Winding Down (5:43)
7. The Gathering Dark (2:28)
8. You Were Always in My Arms Forever (6:57)
9. The Life You’ll Leave Behind (4:05)
10. Mt Argus to Mt Jerome (1:57)
11. People Start Over (3:05)
12. Leave the City on Foot (7:01)

II. Luminous Blues:
1. On Cape Clear (2:07)
2. Around Closing Time (4:00)
3. An Ear to the River (4:14)
4. Take Heed of Your Hurt (3:06)
5. The Lamplit Wood (1:55)
6. Another Day (4:24)
7. Along the Trails of Midnight Deer (2:40)
8. Botanic Avenue (4:04)
9. The Awakening Clay (2:47)
10. Earthfasts (10:31)
11. Shorelines Clad in Snow (3:57)
12. Everything Ends (2:02)

Review: Far Black Furlong – Far Black Furlong / Haidd 2 (2007)

admin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:00:49 +0000

Far Black Furlong

artist: Far Black Furlong
release: Far Black Furlong / Haidd 2
format: 2xCD
year of release: 2007
label: ICR
duration: 1:34:05

detailed info: discogs.com

After being thoroughly impressed by the previous EP The East Room, I kept a close eye on Far Black Furlong, one of the most promising experimental folk and ambient projects to come out of the UK in recent times. I was, of course, very excited about this new release, and a double one, no less. The self-titled album is actually the first full length release by the band, and for good measure, the first edition of it comes with a bonus disc, containing a reworked version of the Haidd EP, which was released on Barl Fire records in 2006.

The music on Far Black Furlong keeps the middle ground between the electro-acoustic ambient of Haidd and the improvised folk sounds of The East Room. In addition, elements both old and new are added to the mix. Poet Bryony Lees, who appeared on the Full Gathering Moon EP, starts off the album with a reading another of her poems. Now, poetry recitals are always a bit hit-and-miss for me, and I’m afraid I find the reading a bit lacklustre; it distracts from the poem itself, which is actually very good, not to mention mysterious and fitting to the music. During the recital, some new instruments are introduced into the mix as well: flute by Amanda Votta (The Floating World) and hammered dulcimer by John Letcher. Both guest artists add great depth to the soundscapes on this album, and especially the dulcimer has a very prominent role on the album.

The album is constructed as a whole, but it is divided into six seamless movements, each with its own mood. The first one, as said, features the poem, and introduces the mysterious soundscapes the make up the rest of the album. Over the course of it, we’re treated to that typical mixture of ambient soundscapes, but with solo roles for many of the instruments. The second track focuses mostly on the dulcimer, while the third has a prominent role for flute and field recordings. It gradually fades into the epic fourth movement, where dulcimer and electric guitar enter into an exciting duet. The fifth, then, features a piece of the wonderful oboe work of Mark Baigent which shone on The East Room. Accompanying it, more of Ian Tengwall‘s guitar playing, and let’s not forget Richard Moult on piano! But, underneath, the current is picking up, hinting at Andy Cotterill‘s dark ambient waves that dominate the final movement.

I find all of this incredibly rewarding. The musical depth and detail is magnificent, and rewards close listening, yet it is also strong enough to impress on a superficial going-over. Abstract though most of the music may be, there are strong thematic suggestions: the turning of the seasons and nature’s cycles, inner and outer landscapes… exactly what I love to hear in music of this kind.

Haidd 2

Then, a few words about the bonus disc. The original Haidd was the band’s most abstract piece thus far, and in that sense, Haidd 2 is a natural follow-up. In actual fact, it takes the ‘ambientness’ a step further. The original featured sections of oboe and other instruments, and parts of it were constructed in a way similar to the self-titled album reviewed here. But Haidd 2 is really stripped down, compared to that. Andy Cotterill really took the track apart and moulded it into a massive, but subtle ambient track. Both versions share the forlorn, drifting atmosphere, but the new version intensifies it through a minimalism of sound. The result is quite simply an excellent, detailed half hour drone trip – well worth the extra money for the special edition, in any case!

In short, Far Black Furlong haven’t ceased to amaze me so far. If you’re looking for thoroughly original music that seamlessly blends acoustics and electronics, folk, ambient, classical, improv, etc., etc. – this is it… Highly recommended, and one of the best albums of the year.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

Far Black Furlong:
1. One (3:01)
2. Two (7:49)
3. Three (4:53)
4. Four (11:31)
5. Five (12:56)
6. Six (19:48)

Haidd 2:
1. Haidd 2 (34:07)

Review: Richard Moult – The Secret Joy (2005)

admin — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 23:00:25 +0000

artist: Richard Moult
release: The Secret Joy
format: CD
year of release: 2005
label: Cynfeirdd
duration: 32:34

detailed info: discogs.com.

Richard Moult is an English composer and painter, who, besides many solo works, has worked with Current 93 and is currently a part of Far Black Furlong. But this album, released by Cynfeirdd, focuses on his own compositions of neo-romantic classical songs. It ultimately originates in Richard’s setting to music of poems by Mary Webb, a English writer from the early 20th century. The compositions are generally from before 2005, when this album was released, and a number of these poems feature in other releases by Moult (Presences and There Are Four Sides to the Night). The Secret Joy was recorded live in the church of St. Mary Magdalene in Bleddfa, Wales. Piano was performed by Nicholas Chalmers and the vocals are by Kathy Taylor-Jones (mezzo-soprano) and Kate Hopkins (soprano).

So, as I said, the album consists of settings of poems, most of them by Mary Webb, except for “Wolfram’s Dirge” (Thomas Lovell Beddoes) and “Now Are the Hills Born New in Sparkling Light” (Ivor Gurney). As they are pieces for vocals and piano, I am quickly reminded of Franz Schubert‘s works like Die Schöne Müllerin and Die Winterreise. Not just because of the instruments used, but also because of the music in general. I think it’s safe to say that Moult is heavily inspired by romantic composers like Schubert, while not becoming a copycat of that earlier style. I didn’t write neo-romantic for nothing above, and I think it’s plain that there are also a lot of modern influences audible in the compositions. For me, that balance between old new sounds very pleasant, as does the music in general, by the way. Moult creates moving melodies with sweeping dynamics, in both the vocal and the piano department.

The pieces are, on average, rather short, like the poems – often giving brief impressions of nature and romantic spirituality. I guess you have to be a true romantic to be able to appreciate many of these poems; they describe the wonder and sublime feelings of the poet when confronted with the smaller beauties of nature. Most of the time, I can relate very much with what’s going on, though to be honest, I am not particularly fond of classical voices, and for me they create a distance from the subject matter, rather than an involvement. For me, natural subjects call for a more natural approach to singing, if there is such a thing. At times, thus, I think the vocals are distracting from the inherent feelings of the poems and music. Nevertheless, there are many places in which this album works extremely well, such as the opening track and “Like a Poppy on a Tower”. The three final tracks are each excellent as well. “Wolfram’s Dirge” is a slightly darker, louder piece, and it reminds me of Schubert‘s Die Winterreise most of all. “Now Are the Hills Born New in Sparkling Light” is the track where I feel the music, words and vocals work together best – a marvellous piece. “The Sedge-Warbler”, finally has a quite wonderful piano melody.

While this classical approach to romanticism is not necessarily my favourite one, I respect and understand what Richard Moult tried to achieve here, and I think he has succeeded admirably. By the way, the album cover and little booklet of this digipak all hint at the marvellous paintings by Richard – I would have liked to see more. So, if you’re a romantic soul, you should give this album (and his other compositions) a try, especially if you enjoy the classical inspirations of this album.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Presences (4:20)
2. A Hawthorn Berry (2:45)
3. Dawn (1:39)
4. A Summer Day (1:44)
5. A Night Sky (3:23)
6. Like a Poppy on a Tower (1:09)
7. The Shell (2:12)
8. The Snowdrop (2:26)

The Secret Joy:
9. I Roseberries (0:56)
10. II A Rainy Day (1:04)
11. III Be Still You Little Leaves (1:44)
12. IV The Secret Joy (1:39)

13. Wolfram’s Dirge (2:51)
14. Now Are the Hills Born New in Sparkling Light (2:35)
15. The Sedge-Warbler (2:07)

Review: Far Black Furlong – The East Room (2006)

admin — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:00:12 +0000

artist: Far Black Furlong
release: The East Room
format: MP3
year of release: 2006
label: Woven Wheat Whispers
duration: 24:38

detailed info: discogs.com

[Note: The remark about the M.R. James story in the second paragraph turned out to be incorrect. There is actually no such story, and it was apparently made up by Mark Coyle of the label in a flight of fancy.]

Far Black Furlong is an English experimental (folk) music project, with a varying cast of musicians. The core members are pianist and composer Richard Moult, oboeist Mark Baigent, electronic artist Andy Cotterill and guitarist Ian Tengwall. Guest artist on this release, I assume on hurdy-gurdy, is Anne Marie Summers of Misericordia, among other mediaeval ensembles.

The East Room, inspired by an apparently unfinished story by famous English scholar and writer M.R. James, is the third release by the band, after two previous EPs. Like the earlier releases, this one proves that Far Black Furlong is a very interesting newcomer in the musical underground, operating between folk, ambient, classical and mediaeval music. More concrete than the long soundscapes of the previous EP Haidd, The East Room takes us to the mysterious chamber from the story in four movements.

During these four instrumental songs, different instruments combine to create a rich musical depiction of the mysterious atmosphere that pervades the theme of the album. Subtle touches of piano occur everywhere, and often we hear support of recorder, hurdy-gurdy, pipes, harp, and the exquisite sound of the oboe. These are trained musicians at work on untrodden ground – one of the most innovative bands I’ve heard in quite some time. Elements from mediaeval and classical music and folk are blended in perfectly with experimentation and improvisation to create something unique. The music on this album is sometimes calm (movement II and IIII) sometimes threatening and intense (the mad guitar and pipes duet on III), but always mystic and atmospheric.

It’s not an easy job to describe exactly what’s going on in these 25 minutes, but I think it’s magical. If, by any chance, you have the John Barleycorn Reborn compilation, be sure to play “The East Room V” after listening to this, because it’s a brilliant epilogue to finish off an already quite strong EP. This is one of the most impressive release I’ve heard lately, and I recommend everyone to go and check this out – I don’t think you’ll regret it! It’s only available as an MP3 download from Woven Wheat Whispers, but it comes with a high-quality booklet for home printing. Keep the name Far Black Furlong in the back of your head, I’m sure a lot more beautiful music will come from this direction!

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. The East Room I (7:03)
2. The East Room II (5:47)
3. The East Room III (5:15)
4. The East Room IIII (6:33)