Audiotransparent |
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Yet another band with ‘audio’ in the title. It’s rarely a positive thing, as my time as a music fan has been tarnished by numerous ‘audio’ titled bands, particularly the ones who think they are at the forefront of sound manipulation technology when really they are simply too drugged up to realize they are using old Primal Scream loops. So what a wonderful surprise to discover that Audiotransparent are not only creating heartfelt music using a selection of traditional instruments, but that they create a beautiful soundscape that takes you on an emotional and aural journey, leaving you swaying in a delirious trance like long blades of grass in the warm breeze.
Album opener ‘Turn Over’ starts the proceedings in a dream-like state. The ambience of the music swirls around slowly and gently, whilst vocalist Wouter Touw’s voice softly pushes though. As delicate as the song is, the melancholy is never exhausted completely, and from this track alone you can hear why Audiotransparent were the perfect tour mates for Tindersticks earlier in the year.
As the guitar begins to chime out on ‘Lowhigh’ the mood of the music almost begins to replicate a lullaby. The prettiness is blatantly obvious, but it never veers close to the territory of sugary, and for that I’m eternally grateful. ‘Nothing All Around’ has one of those glorious moments when you feel the tension building over a few seconds and you close your eyes waiting for the moment when it will change, and you feel the emotional release in your stomach when it finally does. The addition of the female vocal adding an extra dimension, as also happens in ‘Cross A River’. The album is eventually closed by ‘Your God’ and ‘Fin’ almost performing a tag-team act to finally overthrow any doubts you have remaining. ‘Your God’ being a soothing period of reassurance, whilst ‘Fin’ is the exciting climax of embracing all the goodness and running away from all your worries.
Just like storm clouds travelling across the sky, Audiotransparent leave trails of darkness and light, and while one song may be a downpour the next may be heavenly beams of light peeking through. It’s this variety which prevents the album from ever getting boring. There is always some piece of relaxed drumming, a nice guitar part, an understated bassline, an interesting vocal, a stunning piece of violin, or simply one of the other various instrumentations occurring. By this point you should realize the album is good, but buy it based on the fact that when it’s not being good, it’s being breathtaking.
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