Yellow6 : "Painted Sky" (Resonant)

Three things in life are certain. Death, taxes and quality releases from Yellow6. The solo project of Jon Attwood, Yellow6 releases have graced the coolest indie labels on the planet, from Darla right through to Make Mine Music. For "Painted Sky" (his 7th album and over 50th release in total), Attwood seems to have found his true home through the Resonant Label who can count kindred spirits like Port-Royal and Library Tapes amongst their roster. Amazingly, this is the first release by a British artist from the UK label.

As a relative newcomer to Yellow6's music (I bought "Disappear Here" around 18 months ago), I was hugely impressed by his contributions to compilations for a few European based labels. It seems, despite the prolific nature of his abiltiy to write songs, quality is rarely a problem. It appears to be the case with "Painted Sky" too, where Attwood has opted to dismantle his sound, instead using just guitar, piano and subdued percussion elements only. It is testament to his abilities, therefore, that his guitar-based experiments here, are some of the most emotive and rich sounding of the year.

"Pleasure/Pain" is an absolutely gorgeous piece of music, with a cool, pronounced melody that combines with frost-bitten guitar work for over eight beautiful minutes. A definite album highlight. Attwood's sound mixes the key elements of cult bands like Bark Psychosis, New York experimentalists Charles Atlas, some of the earlier Kranky artists and even hints of Ennio Morricone. "I Know I Shouldn't (But I Do)", is a superb album opener, like the most affecting Labradford number you've never heard. Full of vivid guitar notes, dripping with melancholy, they reverberate from speaker to speaker. The track becomes more aggressive, towards the end his guitar tone is full-bodied and even a little anguished sounding.

"I Loved You More Before I Knew You Loved Me", comes across like a gigantic music box, with the sounds of Attwood's guitar slowly weaving intricate lines around a shimmering backdrop. "Common", meanwhile, gives us the first hint of the subtle percussion, mentioned in the press release. Using more glacial melodies and guitar distortion, this track is transported into darker territiories with the addition of Massive Attack style beat work and mysterious sound effects.

It is tracks like "Common", "Mare" and "Azure" that prevent "Painted Sky" from being one-paced and repetitive. There is no disputing Attwood's guitar skills, but changes in tempo help space out the driftng ambient passages. Both "Azure" and "Mare", for example, make good use of excellent organic percussion, while Attwood sprays a combination of subtle, distorted and reverbed guitar tones around his canvas. It is a simple, but effective technique.

With over 50 releases its never easy to know where to start with Yellow6. I would suggest "Painted Sky", it contains most of the elements of Attwood's sound. Consistency is never an issue, steeped in emotion "Painted Sky" features several heart-breaking moments . For organic guitar and piano experiments in an ambient post-rock/shoegazer vein, you could do far worse than visit Attwood's back catalogue. But in 2007, he stands shoulder to shoulder with some of his more famous counterparts and "Painted Sky" could very well be soundtracking these last few weeks of Spring.

Rating - 84%

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Library Tapes : "Feelings For Something Lost" (Resonant)

The problem with this 2nd album from acclaimed Swedish duo Library Tapes, is not trying to negotiate the long song titles ( example : "It Was A Cold Day In February And We Walked Across The Lake"). It's finding the right mood or setting to fully apprecite this short collection of sparse piano-led pieces. Listening to this when driving is a no go, too many distractions. Similarly, loading this onto your Ipod and for use when travelling on public transport doesn't work either, the background noise would drown out 75% of the sounds on "Feelings For Something Lost". I found sticking this on repeat, dimming the lights and reaching for a good book (I chose Ian Rankin's excellent "The Hanging Garden") is the best way to sample this album. I often find this method allows the music to slowly edge its way into your subconscious and that proved to be the case here.

I got this album on the basis of some excellent reviews and one truly outstanding contribution to the Miasmah "Silva" compilation. This was a distortion heavy piece that really did have me thinking that the world had finally found someone to carry on Labradford's work. So it came a s a surprise to find this album contained little more than muffled piano arragements, field recordings, tape hiss and static sounds. A little disappointed, this one was consigned to the nether regions of my Ipod playlists.

However, through the methods described above, I have managed to stretch some enjoyment from this album. "Lives Running Low Through 7th (The Shame Of It All)" starts with low-key storm sounds and adds some beautiful piano playing that resembles a toybox. Barely one and a half minutes long, it sounds as if it was recorded in a darkened attic. Restraint is the key here, the spaces betweem notes are important. "Departures (Burning Saints For Your Own Sins)" is an unsettling mix of wind sounds, gurgling noises and a vacuum of wailing guitar feedback, that is so far back in the mix that it is hardly audible. But there is a feeling that a lot of the short tracks on this album are out-takes from previous recording sessions.

Lasting just 28 minutes, this release would be better suited as an Ep. Although, the length of time it takes for "Feelings... to register anything of note would suggest otherwise. There are some inspired moments, such as the lonely piano of "Feelings For Something Lost In Two Parts" or the rain-soaked ambience of "It Ends With A Version Of Keeping Reminding About What Once Where". But, the majority of the music is rather forgettable, making this record a challenging experience at best. However, I will reserve judgement until their next release "Höstluft" surfaces, which should see light of day in June 2007 through Make Mine Music.

Rating - 62%

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Ölvis : "Bravado" (Resonant)

While his Icelandic counterparts Sigur Ros and Prince Valium are keen to explore the more glacial aspects of music, Örlygur Þór Örlygsson prefers to make music that is a little more out of this world. "Bravado", his third album as Ölvis (pronounced Elvis) is littered with mantra-like vocals and showered in dense and sparkling instrumentation. Over the course of the album, Örlygsson provides some hypnotic and and alluring melodies throughout the 14 instrumentals and vocal tracks.

Following on form the critically-acclaimed, "Blue Sound", "Bravado" reads like a 'who's who' of contemporary Icelandic music with members of Amina, Sigur Ros and The Apparat Organ Quartet cropping up throughout as guest musicians. "Dream On" is a grandiose track that evokes images of vast, starlit skies. Touching into the neo-psychedelic region occupied by Mercury Rev, it is a majestic instrumental.

"Go Ape" follows and particulalrly highlights Orlygsson's rich, booming baritone. Which is, in turn, soundtracked by playful percussion and reverbed-drenched instrumentation. Lyrically. "Bravado" is said to touch on his disillusionment with global capitalism and the USA's attempts to control everything. Although for most listeners it would be hard to tell, as 95% of this album is sung in his native Icelandic. Meanwhile, song titles such as "Vincent Price", "War Chant" and "Song For Love" don't give too much away either. I'm not sure how much of an influence, if any, San Francisco-based dream-rockers Bethany Curve were during the recording process, but on "Wake Up Now" the gothic tinged vocals, slowly unfolding melody and echo-drenched sounds recall some of their finest moments.

Stand-out tracks?, there are many, this album is consistently strong. Although there are some fine moments at the start, the best tracks seem to be clustered towards the end. "Fight The Power" is notable for the Richard Ashcroft style vocals, albeit an Icelandic version. But it is Örlygsson ability to marry a simplisitc, but pleasing, melody with mechanical percussion that makes this one so appealing. Special mention must also be given to the sprawling album closer, "Merge With The Infinite". A spectacular ending that veers between an immense cinematic soundscape and some prog-rock influenced percussion.

Over the course of 14 tracks (or just over 45 minutes), Ölvis constructs dense and colourful music on "Bravado" that glides through several genres. Dream pop, psychedelia, space-rock and even hints of electronica and post-rock are all touched on, yet there is something remarkably distinctive about his sound. Easily one of the most listenable albums so far this year. If Sigur Ros are everyone's favourite Icelandic friend, then Ölvis is their slightly weird, spaced-out cousin.

Rating = 88%

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Yellow6 - "Realisation"

The kind folk at Resonant have sent through a copy of Yellow6's forthcoming "Painted Sky", from which "Realisation" is taken from.

2 years in the making, "Painted Sky" is said to 'strip away the many layers of previous outings, resulting in a collection of melodic, organic guitar and piano soundscapes backed with subtle percussion'.

On first listen this one will appeal to fans of Labradford and wintry feeling ambient passages. Opuszine has already beaten me to it, read their review of "Painted Sky" here.

Port-Royal Album Details

Resonant have posted a tentative release date for Port-Royal's forthcoming "Afraid To Dance" album. It is due in May 2007. From what I have heard this album sounds absolutely superb and is in line to match the brilliance of their debut "Flares".





Here is the full-tracklisting:

1. Bahnhof Zoo
2. Pauline Bokour
3. Anya: Sehnsucht
4. German Bigflies
5. Deca-Dance
6. Roliga Timmen (Longing Machines)
7. Internet Love
8. Leitmotiv/Glasnost
9. Putin Vs Valery
10. Attorney Very Bad (aka The Worst)

Most Royals fans will have heard "Internet Love" on their myspace page, but you may not be aware that "German Bigflies" can be streamed an Resonant's page, while "Banhoff Zoo" can be heard here.

Prince Valium : "Andlaus" (Resonant)

Thanks to Sigur Ros and their tremendous recorded output, anything that has even a vague link to Iceland has me producing my credit card to online distributors without even stopping think about it. So you can imagine my disappointment when I wasn't overly impressed by this effort, by the Icelandic Prince Valium, when it arrived. I bought this album in the first week of January and was completely indifferent to it after the first few listens. For a start, every track seemed to follow the same structure of glacial atmospherics, dark e-bowed guitar and some less than inventive beat programming. In short, I initially found it a tad monotonous For the best part of January and most of February, this sat on my desk gathering dust until I decided to give it one last chance. It was then that it all began to click into place.

Prince Valium is the work of Þorsteinn Konráð Ólafsson, who is also one half of ambient/electronica duo sk/um. Under his Prince Valium guise, Ólafsson creates music that is reminscent of Sigur Ros' polar e-bowed guitar soundscapes and marries it with nostalgic beat work. The overall sound of "Andlaus" is deceptively massive, the echoic atmosphere is such that it sounds as if it was recorded in a large cave of ice.

The first two or three tracks, although pleasant enough slices of post-rock/electronica, glide past without leaving much of an impression. It isn't until the fourth placed "Afsal", that Prince Valium's potential starts to shine through. Melting away the glacial exterior, there is something heart-warming about the shimmering reverbed guitar melody. Combined with soft, synthetic drums, this is "Andlaus'" first moment of real beauty.

Much like Sigur Ros', the music here is expansive and epic. It must be a national requirement for the natives of Iceland to learn how to e-bow a guitar. It seems all Icelandic musicians are at it, but it does seem complement how I imagine the Icelandic landscape. "Tómleikar", a brooding, icy ambient passage contains some of this slow-moving, guitar work, as does "Redecorations In Four Dimensions". Only the latter, adds a touch of melancholy creating a wintry and soothing soundscape.

Having initially labelled "Andlaus" repetitive and boring, it is a pleasure to announce that I have been completely won over by this album and "Burning My B.A" is one of the tracks that turned it. It sounds as if it was recorded deep somewhere in the Arctic, the stuttering beatwork, wind sounds and booming melody soon envelopes you in frosty blanket of sound. "Guð Blessi Þig", the final track on the album, makes a mockery of my attempts to brand this album as repetitive. Completely changing tact, swirling mellotron sounds soon develop into an eerie circus style melody, the beats are a throwback from sometime around the mid-80's, recalling some of Vangelis' work. It is a sinister end to "Andlaus", but ultimately a brilliant one.

You have two choices with "Andlaus": Firstly, you can be initially pretentious like me and brand this album as poor man's post-rock/electronica, without giving it a proper chance. Or you can let the music unfurl at its intended glacial pace and embrace its ice-cool charms, crystalised melodies and some of the finest e-bowed guitar work this side of "Takk".

Rating - 73%

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New Port-Royal Track

Port-Royal's magnificent 2005 album "Flares" (review)easily fits into my top 10 albums of all time. To say I have been looking forward to the follow-up is a complete understatement. Things, thankfully, are starting to take shape, "Afraid To Dance" is due in April, preceeded by the "Honved Ep". The Italian quintet have posted a brand new track, "Internet Love" (possibly a tribute to Kraftwerk's "Computer Love" ?) and have stuck to their promise of less guitars with this swirling beat-driven number. Stream it here.

Rejoice!!! : Port-Royal Announce New Album Details

The world seems like a brighter place today as Italian post-rock/electronic/ambient Kings, Port-Royal have announced new album details. To say that I am excited would be a drastic understatement. For those of you who are unaware, their debut album, "Flares" was a masterpiece, read about it here. I conducted an interview, with Port-Royal, a couple of months ago, and they hinted at a less guitar, more electronics direction for this release. I CANNOT wait to hear the results. Here is the details in full form Port-Royal themselves....

"hello dear friends!

we are happy to announce that our new album "AFRAID TO DANCE" will be out in april, released by Resonant! our friend Andrea Dojmi made both the layout and the artwork (you can find him here: http://www.myspace.com/andreadojmi).

we preserve our typical deep-wide-melancholic mood but mixed up with more electronic elements and rythm (eurodance 2007!!!)... and for the first time officially port-royal have sung shortly in 2 songs! 10 intense tracks for 1 hour of music. hope you will enjoy it!

soon we will post here some songs!

tracks list:

01. bahnhof zoo

02. pauline bokour

03. anya: sehnsucht

04. german bigflies

05. deca-dance

06. roliga timmen (longing machines)

07. internet love

08. leitmotiv | glasnost

09. putin vs valery

10. attorney verybad (aka the worst)

Up The Royals!

p.s. first date to promote "afraid to dance": saturday 17th march at "le divan du monde" in paris (check also www.myspace.com/fuguesmeetspeople & http://www.myspace.com/mesfugues). others will follow soon..."

Resonant News

2007, it seems, will be an extremely busy year for the always impressive Resonant Label. They have scheduled 5 releases between now and May. Already out is "Andlaus" by Prince Valium, which is an album of "...epic soundscapes utilising both real instruments and his laptop...". You can find out more here.

The likes of Yellow6 ("Pointed Sky"), Olvis and Stafraenn Hakon ("Gummi")will also be releasing new material soon. A new song from Hakon can be streamed here. "Svefn" discards his tardemark ethereal soundscapes, in favour of a more electronic approach. There are also nine different vocalists used in his new recordings, which should make "Gummi" one of the most interesting releases of 2007. Furthermore, brand new material will be available from new signings, Small Sails. There's not much information available on these guys, but that should change in the coming months.

However, I am most looking forward to new material from Italians Port-Royal which looks set for a late Summer release.

New tracks by Stafraenn Hakon, Olvis, Prince Valium and Yellow6 can be streamed here.

Port-Royal - Flares (Resonant)

Since this album can be found at number 1 in my top albums list, it is only fair I review it for you. It's also worth noting that it has just recently been repackaged and is again available from their thier label, Resonant , website. The band are currently recording a brand new album, which should come out this year. I'm hoping to have some information on this very soon. But this album MUST be heard

Port-Royal are a group of friends from Genoa, Italy who make stunning ambient electronic and guitar music. You cannot define this band simply as post-rock as their slow-building, atmospheric album "Flares" is an absolute masterpiece form start to finish. This album is both beautiful and mesmerising, but yet, its the underlying tension that really catches you. In fact, the influential leftfield music magazine The Wire hits the nail on the head describing their sound as "shimmering widescreen guitar textures, augmented with home-recorded percussion, subtle vocal samples and electronics".

Since 2000 the five members have been slowly honing their skills and building up vintage equipment and instruments while writing material for this album. Before the eclectic Resonant label picked them up, their only release was the 2002 CD-R "Kraken" Ep through Italian label Marsiglia Records. This Ep was an excellent indication of the potential the band possessed. It has proved time well spent with recording and writing only being interrupted by sporadic gigging through Italy. The band themselves described the actual recording "two intense years of hopes and doubts". These doubts can be felt in the aforementioned tension. Yet this album is also incredibly tranquil, with the bands ability to wrap their music round you like a blanket.


Unlike most post-rock bands, who are too eager to get to the loud/distortion parts, Port-Royal allow their music to develop slowly, showing incredible restraint, while heightening the tension. Some of the album must have been written amid the 2001 G8 riots in Genoa. Maybe this was an influence on the song "Karola Bloch", which starts with quiet acoustic guitar strums and some vocal samples, before filtered beats weave in and out in combination with synth strings. Around the middle of this track, the mood changes as if peaceful protests have suddenly descended into riots. The electronics become more frantic and chaotic while the lovely waves of sound compete to be heard. However, the tranqulity and peace of the beautiful Italian city is restored as the synths are pushed forward in the mix combined with delayed guitars and restrained drums. It is an outstanding track.

The "Flares" album is based around two three part songs "Flares" and "Zobione", its the former track that initially stands out. "Flares Pt.1" slowly builds with each bubbling note an essential part. Beats are tentatively introduced before making way for the beautiful guitar opening of "Flares Pt.2". Here the electronics make way for live drums giving a Sigur Ros style feel to the song. The track gradually gets louder eventually you are totally enveloped in a wall of sound that makes you feel you are floating on clouds. Towards the end guitars and xylophone combine to stunning effect. "Flares Pt.3" again starts with eerie atmospherics, but this time you feel you are at the bottom of the ocean. The fractured beats and programming heighten this sensation, before it all ends in 100 ft waves of feedback and drones.

Bands such as Mogwai and Sigur Ros are reference points, but there is a lot more to Port-Royal' sound "Stimmung" would not be out of place on a Labradford or even a Fennesz release and the restraint mentioned earlier brings to mind Charles Atlas. In fact, it is a major reason why this album is so mesmerizing. They have incorporated a lot of their influences into it, while ensuring it has their own mark as well. The members obviously listen to a lot of electronica artists found on labels such as Neo Ouija, Type and Merck. These influences can be heard on "Spetsnaz - Paul Leni" and shows a band willing to listen and learn, always progressing and developing their sound.

Some articles I have read haven't been as favourable as me towards this album. In a Decoy Music article on Italian bands, the author claimed he "didn't quite get" what the band was doing. In all honesty, there's not much to get, the music is just simply stunning. There's no ulterior motive, it is ambient guitar and ethereal electronic music that is totally engrossing for the full 77 minutes of the album , that float by as if it is the best dream you've ever had.

The band are also in good company, Resonant has many great artists, but Port-Royal stand head and shoulders above the them all.

The 3 part "Zobione" is easily one of the best tracks I've ever heard. It is completely absorbing and has you wishing it will never end. Part 1 starts like Labradford or Stars Of The Lid and evokes images of snow capped mountains, with its glacial tones and filtered guitars, before Part 2 is introduced with playful beats and dream-like guitars. The tension builds as the beats get gradually louder, when crashing live drums take over as two guitars play in tandem. The orchestral washes of sound are an excellent compliment.

Possibly the best part of the album occurs just after the halfway mark of this song, as a huge slab of distorted guitar brings everything to a juddering stop. Drums are looped backwards, the music ending almost 30 minutes after it started as the drums are slowly reduced in the mix leaving those glacial tones again. When I first heard this, it made my spine tingle the way great music does.

This album deservedly sits on the top of my favourite albums of the past year list. I thought instrumental guitar music was at a plateau with mostly derivate acts around at the moment. I wish I was wrong more often.

But don't just take my word for it the links below, are other reviews I've found around the web. There is also links to their website and myspace site too (where you can hear 4 of the tracks mentioned). A video of "Flares Pt.3" is also availible to download from their site and is an excellent companion.

Angry Ape Review
Tiny Mix Tapes Review
Stylus Mag review
Indieworkshop Review