LUNATIC SOUL - Walking On A Flashlight Beam

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Ambient, Prog, Artrock | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 165 / 11-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 9/10, Album des Monats | Label: Kscope | Autor: AS


Riverside mastermind Mariusz Duda is a similarly great sound visionary as Steven Wilson. While his English colleague created the playground Storm Corrosion in order to create dreamy, picture-rich sound art with Opeth guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt, the Pole regularly escapes the harder prog of his main band on the wings of his much more filigree project Lunatic Soul. This goes with "Walking On A Flashlight Beam" now already into the fourth round. Whereas Duda had previously only hinted at his possibilities in the Lunatic-Soul framework (most likely in his self-titled dark debut, to which he takes a bow here), he is now making full use of them. In nine pieces, he spreads out a world of sound that is unparalleled. The opener "Shutting Out The Sun" sets the new direction: Ambient head cinema with machine sounds, with sounds, the presentation of which is indefinable, and with psychedelic elements. After four minutes, song structures finally peel out of the wafting tone streaks, which are reminiscent of fog and twilight. The gloomy mood brightens a little with the following "Cold". The combination of vocoder sounds (Kraftwerk send their regards), sequencer (a wonderfully sparkling motif) and Depeche-Mode-Touch, which grows into a rousing trance number, is captivating. In "Gutter", which has a touch of world music, Duda sets a link to Riverside for the first time - with his unmistakable vocals, but above all with the brilliant tribal middle section, in which the clever bassist once again serves us a clever bass figure, on which he then sweepingly soulates. We would also like to mention drummer Wawrzyniec Dramowicz, who found the right rhythmic accompaniment for each song, just like on the previous albums. "The Fear Within" with its numerous bell tones and sounds reminds other metallic percussions, Asian motifs and archaic rhythms of Far Eastern incarnations of CAN and Faust. On the other hand, one feels torn from a fascinating dream by "Treehouse" with its common structures. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. Because the last three pieces, which once again come to twenty-five minutes, approach Riverside more and more with more complex rhythms and rockier attitudes - even if there are still lots of ludicrous sounds and harmonies to marvel at here. At the latest with this recording Mariusz Duda recommended himself for a cooperation with Steven Wilson. For cooperation at eye level.

Top track: Cold

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