Ian Simpson |
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There is a tidal wave of musicians sweeping across the world who think it’s a great idea to mix acoustic guitars with electronic beats and blips. Admittedly, even I find it to be an appealing outlet, if only I wasn’t so lazy when it came to writing music and actually plugging things in. However, with the technology now widely accepted and even easier to use, plenty of great musicians are dumbing down some wonderful acoustic sounds for the sake of being modern. It’s true that electronics rarely make a good song turn bad, but they have plenty of power to make a good song become bland, and what pleases me is that Aberdeen’s Ian Simpson doesn’t suffer from this affliction.
In fact Citizen Awake is quite random in both style and structure. One minute you are being lulled by the analogue, the next you’re being rattled by the digital. The two aspects don’t merge to become a muddle of sound, yet they don’t clash violently either. Instead they just agree to set aside some neutral territory and go off and do their own thing, which works perfectly fine because the main driving force of the songs is the lyrics and the stories are reeled out both poetically and creatively.
As always, my own best thoughts occur on the train, and the first time I heard ‘April in Amsterdam’ it was actually in April, but in Delft instead (much prettier, anyway). However, I had just missed my train and was filled with rage, so as its lyrics wistfully relived thoughts of Amsterdam Centraal with fond memories of the NS (train company) implied derivatively (“The train pulled in / to Amsterdam Central Station / and I felt the breeze catch my hair / as the doors slid open”), I was none too pleased. Besides, I now live with the knowledge that you’re more likely to be knocked over by the boarding passengers long before the breeze makes it through the doors. Anyway, despite my glance of bitterness, somehow the song defeated me…over and over. It’s just a sweet sounding narration throughout, pulling you along and providing pleasant and sentimental images.
While the longings of love dominate some lyrical areas, a track like ‘Far Off Cry’ comes along, then takes those feelings and plays it out dramatically against the collapse of a building. It’s unexpected but a musically imaginative creation. Then there is the incredibly pretty ‘Snowfall’, with its caressing and hypnotic score completed by its soothing vocals. The electronic parts sit casually underneath the music, creating a sense of purity. On what is a good album, this one stands out as quite special.
Production-wise, Citizen Awake is crisp and clear. By no means is it a polished product, however all of its elements sit well together and the pleasant Scottish vocal commands attention and adds power to the storytelling. First time around you just never know what to expect from the next track. In fact, it always feels full of surprises, but importantly, the album is a real pleasure to sit with, and it’s always nice to hear something a little bit different.
Steven McCarron
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