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Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde
Prophecy Productions - PRO 090 - August 3rd, 2007
By Jordan Knoll
It’s a calm yet joyful morning of an early spring long since passed. Budding flowers and the emerald green of tree leaves have overtaken the dead and sombre lethargy of winter. Where there was once death, dismay and depression there is now new life. Born again in the pureness of light and innocence a child emerges from the glade and revels in newfound freedom to explore and imagine the magic and mysteries of the surreal world encapsulating him. This is the sound of Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde or Memories Of Another World.
Former French Black Metal act Alcest have surfaced from the underground to produce what is simply one of the most utterly beautiful records in years. Think shoegaze favorite Slowdive at their most heartfelt fused with the intense longing and nostalgia that Drudkh is able to conjure and you should have a pretty good idea of what exactly Alcest’s sole member Neige has been able to accomplish. Each piece is carefully crafted to strike that fine balance between trance-induced euphoria and that deeper level of subtle compositional engagement with the listener. Neither aspect overpowers the other allowing Alcest to truly embody its title of ‘other worldly’.
The songs utilize dreamy, ethereal textures in which drums are wisely used to underscore rather than overpower. This in turn allows the guitars, vocals and occasional keyboard flourishes to paint a picture of flawless artistry; the main draw to music such as this. Tracks like 'Les Iris' and 'Ciel Errant' utilize this approach to great avail but what ultimately makes Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde such a success is its wholeness as a unified work. Paradoxically, Neige seems to have found a way to create pieces that contribute to the whole so completely yet, at same time, offer needed variety and depth. Case in point: I have listened to this album well over 30 times yet I still find myself going back religiously to bask in its magnificence. Highly, highly recommended to all music lovers but especially (and obviously) fans of shoegaze and Alcest’s 2004 Le Secret EP. Quite simply, Neige has created a work of the ages.
Alcest Official Site
Prophecy Productions
Prophecy Productions - PRO 090 - August 3rd, 2007
By Jordan Knoll
It’s a calm yet joyful morning of an early spring long since passed. Budding flowers and the emerald green of tree leaves have overtaken the dead and sombre lethargy of winter. Where there was once death, dismay and depression there is now new life. Born again in the pureness of light and innocence a child emerges from the glade and revels in newfound freedom to explore and imagine the magic and mysteries of the surreal world encapsulating him. This is the sound of Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde or Memories Of Another World.
Former French Black Metal act Alcest have surfaced from the underground to produce what is simply one of the most utterly beautiful records in years. Think shoegaze favorite Slowdive at their most heartfelt fused with the intense longing and nostalgia that Drudkh is able to conjure and you should have a pretty good idea of what exactly Alcest’s sole member Neige has been able to accomplish. Each piece is carefully crafted to strike that fine balance between trance-induced euphoria and that deeper level of subtle compositional engagement with the listener. Neither aspect overpowers the other allowing Alcest to truly embody its title of ‘other worldly’.
The songs utilize dreamy, ethereal textures in which drums are wisely used to underscore rather than overpower. This in turn allows the guitars, vocals and occasional keyboard flourishes to paint a picture of flawless artistry; the main draw to music such as this. Tracks like 'Les Iris' and 'Ciel Errant' utilize this approach to great avail but what ultimately makes Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde such a success is its wholeness as a unified work. Paradoxically, Neige seems to have found a way to create pieces that contribute to the whole so completely yet, at same time, offer needed variety and depth. Case in point: I have listened to this album well over 30 times yet I still find myself going back religiously to bask in its magnificence. Highly, highly recommended to all music lovers but especially (and obviously) fans of shoegaze and Alcest’s 2004 Le Secret EP. Quite simply, Neige has created a work of the ages.
Alcest Official Site
Prophecy Productions
