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: : Moonlight - Downwords
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Band/Artist
Moonlight
Title:
Downwords
Released
2005
Label
Metal Mind Productions |
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Tracks:
1. Spy
2. Irreversible
3. Pati
4. Into My hands
5. Insomnia
6. My own Words
7. Pill
8. Circus
9. Downwords |
: : The Players : :
Maja Konarska (vocals, lyrics) - Andrzej Kutys (guitars, e-bow) - Kuba
Maciejewski(keyboards, piano, Rhodes, samples) - Michal Podciechowski
(bass, Rhodes, classical guitar, samples) - Maciej Kazmierski (drums) -
and Marcin Bors (guitar, baritone guitar, e-bow, Rhodes, programming,
bass, wooly mammoth (5), drums (6) ) - GUESTS: Lukasz Matuszyk
(accordion) - Marta Sochal-Matuszyk (violin) |
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: : Downwords : :
Moonlight is an experienced band hailing form Poland. Formed in 1991,
this is their eleventh album. And on this album they really takes you
along for a ride; and it sure as hell isn't a joyride you're invited to.
Many people are fond of labels to describe music. Critics perhaps more
than others. Labeling the music you'll find on this CD is next to
impossible. Sure, it is art-rock; music made for concentrated listening
where music as a creative form of art is central. And yes, they do
utilize some of the effects you can find in music performed by the likes
of King Crimson and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, utilizing disharmonies
and cacaphonic effects to the max. You can read a lot into the lyrics as
well, and the lyrics and the music can surely be said to be closely
interwoven, where both elements enhance each other. But the result can't
really be compared to either of the above mentioned groups - or any
other that I know of.
This is music that H. P. Lovecraft would have approved of. The perfect
music to listen to when closely looking at Hieronymous Bosch' more
disturbing paintings. Music that would have been the perfect soundtrack
if someone ever decided to make a movie based on Dante Alleghari's poem
about the seven circles of hell.
In other words - this is eerie and disturbing music, sending you on a
trip into a nightmarish - but beautiful - world in the twilight zone.
Describing the tracks on the album by themselves is as good as
pointless. So much is happening here, so many nuances are woven into the
music, that a detailed and good description of each of the tracks would
have resulted in a book.
In general, most of the tracks are divided into many parts, most often
calmer parts during the verses, with synth, piano and guitar utilized to
create eerie and disturbing moods during the verse, then in-between
verses you get a more brutal soundscape with guitars and synths being
used more aggressively.
A few songs deviate a
bit from that norm though. Opening track "Spy" starts out more like a
techno/ambient tune for the first five minutes or so, with strong
rhythms driving the song. The background elements creating the eerie
moods are of course in place in this song as well, but the more
techno/ambient like approach is a distinguishing feature of the opening
track.
Track 6, My own Words, is a more mellow approach, with vocals, piano and
synth more central throughout the track. It is also a great example of
how quite simple nuances can be made to sound extremely disturbing.
Track 8, Circus, features a part where the accordion is used to create a
clear reference to the circus - although I would not want to visit that
particular circus myself. The song also features passages made to sound
like old recordings played on severely used vinyl records; and ends
somewhat mysteriously with 2 minutes of silence. Track 9, Downwords,
features more of the passages that sounds like they are old recordings,
in this track with the added effect of a scratchy pick-up arm jumping a
bit, resulting in a distinctly creepy sounding soundscape in that part
of the song. As track 8, this track ends with silence, although the
silence in this track lasts for 4 minutes. It also seems clear that
tracks 8 and 9 are two parts of a whole - the soundscapes are quite
similar, and much of the same musical effects are being utilized.
Vocalist Maja deserves a special mention. She has a great voice, which
is used and utilized extremely well. Her voice is just beautiful, and
she has the experience to realistically convey moods of sadness,
loneliness, desperation and naivety. Her voice adds a lot to the sound
and the mood of this album.
All in all, this is a great album. One of the best albums I have had the
pleasure of listening to, ever. Although the music is dark, eerie and
disturbing, it is quite clearly worth listening to. And everyone that
appreciates music as a form of art, and that likes listening intently
and concentrated to their music, should consider purchasing this.
Rating: 10 (out of 10)
Reviewer: Olav Björnsen
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
Downwords (2005)
Audio136 (2004)
Awaken Memories Live DVD (2003)
Moonlight (2003)
Candra (2002)
Yaishi (2001)
Koncert w Trójce 1991-2001 (2001)
Floe (2000)
Inermis (1999)
Meren Re (1997)
Kalpa taru (1996) |
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