Artist : Illuminine
Album : #1
Year : 2015
Genre : Ambient
Quality : 210kbps / 44.1KHz / Joint Stereo
Source : CD
Playtime : 0h 40m
Size : 65.36mb
Label : Zeal Records
Catalognr : ZEALCDEE047
Tracklist:
01. Dualisms 3:17
02. Llyr 4:55
03. Interlude I 1:17
04. For What It's Worth 3:36
05. Interlude II 1:14
06. Ardency 4:40
07. Elegy 3:52
08. Interlude III 0:55
09. Winter. Go 2:49
10. Interlude IV 1:12
11. Lumen Reign 3:53
12. Interlude V 1:02
13. Melancholia 2:26
14. Svengali 5:41
Releasenotes:
Big name connections are a double-edged sword; the associations can increase
one's success, or cause one to be judged by comparison. The future of Illuminine
will rise or fall on what one makes of these connections, as they are front and
foremost in the press release: a debut album recorded in Sigur R≤s' studio with
their sound engineer, mastered by Francesco Donadello (A Winged Victory for the
Sullen).
The conundrum is clear. On the plus side, Kevin Imbrechts (Illuminine) now has
everyone's attention. On the minus side, our readers have already placed high
expectations on an album that can't possibly live up to them. After all, it's
not like a new artist is going to go into Sigur R≤s' studio and record a better
album than Sigur R≤s; the most one can hope for is that it will appeal to the
same fans. And as it turns out, the second connection is more indicative of the
sound, which favors piano, guitar and live strings accompanied by light
electronics. To no one's surprise, a glockenspiel is present as well.
We'll turn now to the good news, which is that the lead single "Dualisms" is an
exemplary short piece, a distillation of the artist's sound that includes a
brief yet memorable five-note repeating string motif. The piano takes over at
the end of the track, introducing a bit more in the way of melody. Extra credit
goes to Lara Gasparotto and Liyo Gong for a sharp, lovely and intriguing video
(seen below). This is a wonderful way to launch the project, professional in
every way. It's also the best track on the album, but that's okay; every album
has a best track, and it's usually the first to be released.
The less apparent the main instruments, the more the project borders on the
ambient. The stronger tracks are those in which the piano and strings hold
center court instead of the guitar. (Not that there's anything wrong with
guitar; it's just that ambient guitar is rarely distinctive.) After its rousing
start, Illuminine takes a while to return to this sound. But "Ardency", lodged
in the middle of the album, sneaks up on the listener with an extremely sedate
first half followed by a second half surge. At 2:17, the violins enter the
frame, dragging a horn section in their wake. And then at 3:34, an uncertain
piano û the first notes that are less than smooth û along with fractured brass.
The track is made more effective by the fact that it flips the script on all
that precedes it. The dark "Elegy" that follows is even better, a seemingly
simple piece that rolls in like a storm front. The sun is fully obscured in the
deep bass note that concludes "Lumen Reign". This is the direction in which we
hope Illuminine will head. Connections can only go so far; at a certain point,
one must establish one's own sound. There's enough here to indicate that one day
comparisons will no longer be needed. (Richard Allen)
http://www.illuminine.be/