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[haven] - The Last Breath of Lonely Buildings


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First things first - this is not a record you can listen to while doing other things. I think it's meant for listeners able to get away from the 'here and now' for a little over 40 minutes. Although the first track is definitely mechanical and traces of this trance-like quality show through in other pieces (e.g. 'redemption'), the overall atmosphere is too fragile to qualify it as an 'industrial' sounding album. So there, now you know - we're talking ambient here. And this time it's pretty dark, too. For some people the genre is extremely detached from 'music' as such. Yet, to say that there are no melodies on this release would be a grave misconception. The soundscapes are pretty demanding for an average listener (yes, I mean myself), but once you choose to sink willingly into the noise you just might discover the inner beauty of the lack of all the 'traditional' elements of 'sonic entertainment'. This issue often comes to my mind while listening to albums like 'The Last Breath of Lonely Buildings' - why do we listen to sounds that have little to do with 'songs'? Where is the pleasure factor? And even though I can't answer the question, I feel a certain kind of satisfaction derived from such sonic experience. Production-wise, I can only nod and smile - if this is the work of a single man, then the powers of creation are in the right hands. I wouldn't mind getting the CD as a soundtrack extra to a movie, computer or role-playing game. A dreary, depressing, dark and moody voyage into the realm visited before by so many artists in so many ways. This is probably ambient's greatest strength - plagiarism is almost impossible. The album's content fits the title, and the tracks give it a certain 'flow' quality. Nothing harsh to destroy the listening process, which is in my opinion a plus when it comes to judging ambient projects. So, if you want to listen to sounds that are not 'songs', if you are not looking for 'entertainment' but rather a unique 'experience' and you are not afraid of lonely buildings in even lonelier places - go for it. Don't tell me you haven't been warned - the album is a soundtrack to nothingness, so if you want to find something there, you have to listen to it yourself. For those who are looking for cheap thrills and loud distortions - don't bother, you'll waste your time.

01. angst
02. silent memories
03. insatiably
04. redemption
05. forgiveness of faults
06. voices from haven
07. prayer reflections

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Translator: Vesper
Add date: 2005-11-28 / Music reviews


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