Black vinyl, 12 inches of hermetic philosophy (I'm not going into that in this review simply because I don't know enough of it to have an opinion) with tracks were initially composed in 201. They were performed as a piano & voice piece at St Johns Bethnal Green and Shoreditch churches and released by the combined powers of ZamZamrec and Adaadat.
The album opens with what should be considered the album's title track, "Son Rise". The complete feel of the album is being set by the atmosphere in this track; there is a heavy neo-folk feel yet there is something 'off'. It's not the neo-folk like we know of so many bands that just can't play. (Note: as you can already see, I'm not the biggest neo-folk fan there is).
But there is something about the combination of piano and voice that intrigues. It's not like we know from Current 93 the exquisite combination of David Tibet and Reinier van Houdt. I mean, that combination is a match made in heaven, and I will always have a soft spot for the two of them.
Vocal wise, it has a bit of a Sol Invictus mentality with a sonority as we know of Death In June. Piano wise it's more like a combination of French chansons and some musicians doing a cabaret or musical performance. Let it be said that it would be more like Tim Minchin than Victor Borge.
The electronic layers are getting a more prominent role in the compositions as the album progresses. Side A continues with a track in French, but proper French pronunciation by an English guy is always difficult. Because of this, it just doesn't tickle my buttons. Reading the titles, I hoped "What Do You Want From Life" would have been a cover by the Tubes, but no such luck.
Side B opens with "Nigredo", where a string section (played by Agathe Max) is added on top of the combination rhythm/piano. Right there is where I think the album reaches its full potential. It could have been mixed and produced better, but that is maybe also part of the neo-folk movement. Electronics are more prominent on the second track, "Albedo", and the high-pitched squeaks could have been taken from an Alva Noto CD. Again the strings by Agathe, and she proves to be the heroin of this album. The final track, "Rubedo" has additional vocals by Hannah White, lifting the ethereal atmosphere to its fullest.
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