[haven] - Noir
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Artist:
Galleries:
- 2nd Wrotycz Festival - 2015-04-12 (Festivals)
- [haven] - 2012-05-20 (Concerts)
- Krzyk Maszyn - 2011-05-23 (Festivals)
- [haven] - 2011-04-08 (Concerts)
- [haven] - 2010-12-19 (Concerts)
- Castle Party 2007 - 2007-07-27 (Festivals)
- MASCHINENgeSCHREI 3 - 2007-05-20 (Festivals)
- Protagosterium Tour - 2007-01-11 (Concerts)
- Temple of Silence 2 - 2006-09-10 (Festivals)
CDs catalogue:
- [haven] - Amity CD
- [haven] - Plastic
- [haven] - [A2982]
- [haven] - Naos
- [haven] - the last breath of lonely buildings
- NOIR - Reburning CD
- NOIR - The Burning Bridge EP
- Technoir - We Fall Apart CD
- Technoir - We Fall Apart 2CD Limited Boxet
- Technoir - We Fall Apart Limited 2CD Box Set
- Technoir - We Came for Love EP
- Technoir - Deliberately Fragile CD
- Technoir - Deliberately Fragile Limited 2CD Box Set
- Technoir - Manifesto MCD
- Technoir - Groundlevel CD
- Technoir - Requiem MCD
- EyeScream - Noir - 2014-05-13
- 28/09 SOUND CLINIQUM #30 live: [HAVEN] // SZCZECIN - 2013-09-20
- 17/03 SOUND CLINIQUM #25 live:CH DISTRICT,[HAVEN],DEFACEMENT - 2012-03-04
Every time news of [haven]’s new album reach my ears I begin to wonder: ‘What would it be this time Mr. Jarmulski?’. Ambient, industrial, electronics, trip-hop, experiments, all of these we’ve heard before, so it’s only natural to, just like in Monthy Python, expect something completely different. And that would not be far from the truth, because although the new album has familiar electronics at its core, it also utilizes new elements, previously merely scratched on the surface, like lyrics or future/electro pop tendencies. So, how does the new additions taste? Hm, I choose pomegranate: sweet, yet bitter.
In my review of [haven]’s previous album ‘Amity’, I expressed hopes that in the future Mr. Jarmulski would expand the vocalist role of Magda Głocka, as she most certainly deserved it. As it turns out, my wish was only partially granted. Although vocals on ‘Noir’ received more space and emphasis, they are performed by a new vocalist, Ewa Wymysłowska, known to some from her trip-hop project Inside Story, and many collaborations, about which I have no knowledge of as this is my first (musical) meeting with her. And quite frankly, I’m not impressed. Quite the contrary, apart from three tunes with Wymysłowska’s vocals (‘Keep It Close’, ‘The Promise’ and ‘Hod’), which I’m willing to accept, the instrumentals are my tracks of choice. The voice of EW is, as one of the internet sites nicely puts it, ‘warm and mellow’, which means no less that in tunes with vocals we may expect an uplifting atmosphere, something which I learned long ago to avoid. I understand that some of the listeners might actually accept this transition, it would also work to get a few new fans, but to tell the truth, I’m willing to accept such endeavours. The exceptions are the already mentioned songs ‘Keep It Close’, ‘The Promise’ and ‘Hod’. The first one is by far in the avant-garde, showing some teeth (well, maybe just a tooth?), the incarnation of Wymysłowska that’s actually reaching me, fortunately present in the next song, ‘The Promise’, as well, although in a slightly different form. Both tunes show some nice electronics, light beat and sweet background bits and pieces, ever present in the music of [haven]. The next in line, ‘Exile’, is what I’ve written a few lines up, i.e. ‘move-your-butt’ electro-pop with ‘warm and mellow’ vocals. Afterwards we reach the last ‘bastion of voice’ on the LP – ‘Hod’, which not only is free of the vocal ‘sweetness’, but also has a hint of darkness about it. ‘Atmosphere’ is just another ‘Exile’, whereas ‘It's Amazing there, everywhere we've been we are and gonna be’ is, despite what other might claim, the only true trip-hop representative on the album.
Well, vocals are vocals, but it’s the instrumental side of ‘Noir’ which I’m most fond of. Fantastic electro-industrial ‘Oblivion’; ‘Roots’ which if not a look into the oriental-ambient-industrial past of MJ, I have no idea what it is. And, well blood and ashes! That’s it! Two great tunes vs the rest of the LP. Unbelievable.
Regardless of what I’ve written above, Marcin Jarmulski had managed to take me aback yet again. Another musical turn, with only crumbles of past here and there and a new vocalist, apparently here to stay; might this be a sign that MJ has finally found his niche? Truly, I’d rather he did not. Considering the situation, I wonder how the [haven]’s live acts look and sound like (I’ve never been to one yet), as I can’t imagine the older stuff be left out completely.
Oh, and one more thing: additional points for the cover art. Simple, yet eye catching.
Tracklist:
01. Are You Strong Enough?
02. Keep it close
03. The promise
04. Exile
05. Hod
06. Oblivion
07. Atmosphere
08. It's amazing there, everywhere we've been we are and gonna be
09. Roots
10. Pray for nothing
11. Road
12. Kasper
Other articles:
In my review of [haven]’s previous album ‘Amity’, I expressed hopes that in the future Mr. Jarmulski would expand the vocalist role of Magda Głocka, as she most certainly deserved it. As it turns out, my wish was only partially granted. Although vocals on ‘Noir’ received more space and emphasis, they are performed by a new vocalist, Ewa Wymysłowska, known to some from her trip-hop project Inside Story, and many collaborations, about which I have no knowledge of as this is my first (musical) meeting with her. And quite frankly, I’m not impressed. Quite the contrary, apart from three tunes with Wymysłowska’s vocals (‘Keep It Close’, ‘The Promise’ and ‘Hod’), which I’m willing to accept, the instrumentals are my tracks of choice. The voice of EW is, as one of the internet sites nicely puts it, ‘warm and mellow’, which means no less that in tunes with vocals we may expect an uplifting atmosphere, something which I learned long ago to avoid. I understand that some of the listeners might actually accept this transition, it would also work to get a few new fans, but to tell the truth, I’m willing to accept such endeavours. The exceptions are the already mentioned songs ‘Keep It Close’, ‘The Promise’ and ‘Hod’. The first one is by far in the avant-garde, showing some teeth (well, maybe just a tooth?), the incarnation of Wymysłowska that’s actually reaching me, fortunately present in the next song, ‘The Promise’, as well, although in a slightly different form. Both tunes show some nice electronics, light beat and sweet background bits and pieces, ever present in the music of [haven]. The next in line, ‘Exile’, is what I’ve written a few lines up, i.e. ‘move-your-butt’ electro-pop with ‘warm and mellow’ vocals. Afterwards we reach the last ‘bastion of voice’ on the LP – ‘Hod’, which not only is free of the vocal ‘sweetness’, but also has a hint of darkness about it. ‘Atmosphere’ is just another ‘Exile’, whereas ‘It's Amazing there, everywhere we've been we are and gonna be’ is, despite what other might claim, the only true trip-hop representative on the album.
Well, vocals are vocals, but it’s the instrumental side of ‘Noir’ which I’m most fond of. Fantastic electro-industrial ‘Oblivion’; ‘Roots’ which if not a look into the oriental-ambient-industrial past of MJ, I have no idea what it is. And, well blood and ashes! That’s it! Two great tunes vs the rest of the LP. Unbelievable.
Regardless of what I’ve written above, Marcin Jarmulski had managed to take me aback yet again. Another musical turn, with only crumbles of past here and there and a new vocalist, apparently here to stay; might this be a sign that MJ has finally found his niche? Truly, I’d rather he did not. Considering the situation, I wonder how the [haven]’s live acts look and sound like (I’ve never been to one yet), as I can’t imagine the older stuff be left out completely.
Oh, and one more thing: additional points for the cover art. Simple, yet eye catching.
Tracklist:
01. Are You Strong Enough?
02. Keep it close
03. The promise
04. Exile
05. Hod
06. Oblivion
07. Atmosphere
08. It's amazing there, everywhere we've been we are and gonna be
09. Roots
10. Pray for nothing
11. Road
12. Kasper
Other articles:
- Noir - Darkly Near - 2014-02-25 (Music reviews)
- Jet Noir - Emotional Chess - 2013-10-14 (Music reviews)
- NÄO as a revelation of the fourth MIF - 2013-01-29 (Live reports)
- Moonspell – Alpha Noir / Omega White - 2012-09-28 (Music reviews)
- Plastique Noir - Affects - 2011-10-02 (Music reviews)
- [haven] - Amity - 2011-08-11 (Music reviews)
- [haven] - [A2982] - 2011-07-21 (Music reviews)
- Theatres des Vampires - Anima Noir - 2010-08-02 (Music reviews)
- Art Noir - Silent Green - 2009-10-12 (Music reviews)
- Technoir - Deliberately Fragile - 2009-07-13 (Music reviews)
