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░ ██ ██ Artist: Lunatic Soul ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Walking on a Flashlight Beam █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2014 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-01-15 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Kscope ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ I'll come right out and say that Lunatic Soul's █
█ new album "Walking on a Flashlight Beam" was my █
█ most anticipated album of 2014. Why? Well, Mariusz █
█ Duda (of Riverside fame) has created such a █
█ brilliantly natural sound in his side project that █
█ it has become one of my favorites, not to mention █
█ my family's, as well. We simply can't get enough █
█ of the acoustic, airy atmospheres combined with █
█ the dark, throbbing feelings that swing between █
█ transcendence and despair. Lunatic Soul's first █
█ three albums are masterpieces of emotion and █
█ epiphany, and so any follow-up would have to be █
█ something special. Duda, however, has delivered in █
█ the most unexpected, brilliant ways possible. █
█ "Walking on a Flashlight Beam" (WOAFB) is an █
█ experience that is as much about lyrics and █
█ feelings as it is about music. You need the whole █
█ picture in order to understand it truly. Duda has █
█ been very forthcoming with theme for this album, █
█ as it seems to be rather personal. This album is █
█ about those people that prefer to shut themselves █
█ in their rooms/homes in order to immerse █
█ themselves in the creations of others: films, █
█ books, music, games, etc. I think it strays █
█ between this setting, however, and the same type █
█ of person that shuts themselves up, preferring to █
█ create art in private. █
█ Like I said, this theme is important to the music. █
█ WOAFB is full of bleak tension, cold sublimation, █
█ and beautiful simplicity. Duda was inclined to █
█ create this album with a wide variety of ethnic █
█ instruments, tones, and sounds; from cold trance █
█ beats contrasted against radiant acoustic guitar █
█ to world music influences combined with a new █
█ addition to the sound palette of Lunatic Soul: a █
█ subtle, heavily distorted electric guitar that █
█ crafts some charging, tumbling grooves. Duda has █
█ really expanded the sound of his pet project, and █
█ it impressed me to no end to hear the vast variety █
█ of sounds that were able to come together into a █
█ unified, cohesive mix. Sometimes it feels like █
█ Duda has gone post-rock, such as in the opener █
█ "Shutting out the Sun". Sometimes Duda simply █
█ sings a beautifully wrought melody, as in the █
█ spectacular "Treehouse" or one of my favorites, █
█ "Gutter" (the chorus will be in your head for █
█ weeks). Yet, sometimes Duda just wants to lay down █
█ an incredible bass-driven instrumental section, as █
█ in the winding, complex "Pygmalion's Ladder". █
█ Every track really feels just right. "Cold" feels, █
█ well, cold. It feels bare and desolate, with a █
█ simple melodic line added to enhance the stark █
█ feelings present. Duda is so good at expressing █
█ emotion in his music. Yet, this album has really █
█ impressed upon me how good he is at creating █
█ instrumental sections, as this album is full of █
█ them. The supremely subtle title track is an █
█ amazing example of this, as Duda builds and builds █
█ layers and layers of melody, harmony, tone, and █
█ effects. In the end, this album is so concentrated █
█ and makes so much sense from track to track that I █
█ can barely pick a favorite. █
█ This might be my album of the year. Don't be █
█ surprised if it is. I know I sound like a Duda █
█ fanboy (which I kinda am), but this album reaches █
█ the heights of the last three, and then expands on █
█ them. Incredibly catchy, wonderfully complex, and █
█ darkly eclectic, "Walking on a Flashlight Beam" is █
█ a journey into a confined consciousness of █
█ creativity, privacy, and enigmatic genius. Duda █
█ has once again proven his capabilities. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ I was quite surprised at the palpable excitement I █
█ felt as I opened this album. I am equally █
█ surprised at my dramatic feelings of █
█ disappointment as I listened--as each song failed █
█ to meet my simple expectations: that Lunatic █
█ Soul's fourth album continue to show the signs of █
█ growth as the previous three had adequately done. █
█ Mariuz Duda's excellent and gifted voice isn't █
█ even put to good use until the third song! █
█ 1. "Shutting Out The Sun" (8:39) A lot of scratchy █
█ old-sounding samples and sounds drawn out offer an █
█ overly long development. The final 20 seconds are █
█ the best part! (7/10) █
█ 2. "Cold" (6:58) again I am disappointed with all █
█ of the old samples--including the rhythm box beat. █
█ Sounds like an early Kraftwerk song taken over by █
█ Alan Parsons Project. (7/10) █
█ 3. "Gutter" (8:42) the baseline bass riff is nice █
█ though it feels borrowed from a RIVERSIDE song. █
█ Awesome work in the fifth minute! And finally we █
█ get to hear the full power and talent of Mariuz █
█ Duda's voice! And I love the late entry of the █
█ keyboard wash at the 7:00 mark. (Why must Mariuz █
█ wait to the end of the songs to amp things up?!) █
█ (9/10) █
█ 4. "Stars Sellotaped" (1:34) is a very cute little █
█ spacey "outtake." More of this! (9/10) █
█ 5. "The Fear Within" (7:10) is an instrumental █
█ based on a simple and repetitive weave of a █
█ variety of tuned percussives--glockenspiel, wind █
█ chimes, Blue Man Group PVC tubes, to name a few. █
█ The stringed instrument that enters at the █
█ beginning of the third minute and, a little later, █
█ the "distant" industrial synth kind of disrupt the █
█ initial feel and mood bringing in an unsettling █
█ feel--which may be appropriate considering the █
█ song's title. The final two minutes follow the █
█ now-established "distant" industrial synth as an █
█ picked acoustic guitar plays over the top and, █
█ gradually, takes over--until the song's final █
█ minute, in which some very eerie synth washes, █
█ warbles, wooshes and whispers fill the void. █
█ (7/10) █
█ 6. "Treehouse" (5:31) begins with an electric █
█ piano's very simple chord progression. Mariuz' █
█ treated voice begins singing what feels like a █
█ fairly straightforward pop song. Straight time █
█ rock drum and bass beat joins in. The song often █
█ feels like it's beginning to unravel but then it █
█ seems to come back together again. Nothing very █
█ exciting or ear-catching happens for the first █
█ 3:10. Then a quite space with simple acoustic █
█ guitar strummed chord progression backs Mariuz █
█ dreamy voice--until the rock format returns at the █
█ four minute mark. (7/10) █
█ 7. "Pygmalion's Ladder" (12:02) opes with an █
█ ominous (promising!) guitar arpeggio █
█ progression--which is all too soon ruined by some █
█ cheap Middle Eastern "horn" (or fuzzed guitar) █
█ sound. By 1:30 the backbeat has become more like a █
█ classic Tangerine Dream keyboard-led sequence. █
█ Were the intermittent appearance by the annoying █
█ "horn" sound and it's equally grating melody █
█ removed from this song it might be pretty decent! █
█ In the fourth minute the foundation falls back to █
█ bass and arpeggiated guitar as a good (if typical) █
█ Mariuz vocal enters. The "chorus" at the 4:45 mark █
█ is a bit of a step down and then it's followed by █
█ an odd bridge of alternating synth (choral) chords █
█ and a disappointing fuzz guitar solo. Another █
█ shift at 6:18 while the Mike Oldfield-like muted █
█ fuzz guitar continues to solo. The eight minute █
█ shifts again into even more Oldfield-sounding █
█ territory. The section beginning around 8:14 is █
█ heavier and packs the kind of power and drama that █
█ one expects (and wants) from a Duda project. A █
█ beautiful little interlude of delicate sounds █
█ (arpeggiated acoustic guitar and kalimba) sets up █
█ a crashing entry into the near-end crescendo. █
█ Though this song is in constant forward █
█ development with very little thematic █
█ recapitulation, it just fails to ever really "get █
█ there." (8/10) █
█ 8. "Sky Drawn in Crayon" (4:59) is a ethereal █
█ vocal sung over finger-picked acoustic guitar and █
█ some various and sundry incidentals--playground █
█ children noises, midi-keyboard melodies, █
█ cyber-computer click/pop noises. This one never █
█ really gets anywhere. (7/10) █
█ 9. "Walking on a Flashlight Beam" (8:11) is █
█ a(nother) dull song until the Robert Smith/Cure █
█ guitar riffs of the last two and a half minutes. █
█ (8/10) █
█ The antiquated sound samples used here feel so █
█ out-dated and simple and could have been so much █
█ more sophisticated. Plus, Mariuz' Lunatic Soul █
█ project seems hello-bent on taking the ANATHEMA █
█ Post Rock approach: taking simple melodies and █
█ rhythms for foundations and then slowly--sometimes █
█ painstakingly slowly--building over and around █
█ them. Unlike Anathema, however, Lunatic Soul's █
█ songs never seem to get anywhere--each song ends █
█ with me asking, "What was the point? What was the █
█ message? What was the intention?" As much as I █
█ like music like this that develops slowly, using █
█ space and time to convey a message with delicate █
█ timing, I'm beginning to think that Lunatic Soul █
█ lacks the vision to make lasting statements with █
█ their songs. Maybe they're tired. I cannot █
█ remember the last time I was so disappointed with █
█ an album I so highly anticipated. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Lunatic Soul could be consider the soft side of █
█ Riverside with his ex-member. The pace is slower, █
█ the keyboards are upfront and the guitars not as █
█ dominant. The music is very atmospheric with some █
█ exotic sounds. We heard in previous albums tribal █
█ drums and others instruments of ancient world. The █
█ world's music passages has been a trademark of █
█ Lunatic Soul in the past, but it's less obvious in █
█ this latest release. The singing is often use as a █
█ chant or a incantation that brings the melody to a █
█ high level of emotion. It's easy to drift away █
█ with this music, like some kind of trance. The █
█ quality is the same as Riverside, the voice and █
█ the song structures have strong similarities, █
█ despite the light side of the sound and the slow █
█ tempo. There is some more disturbing atmosphere █
█ mixed with some serene passages. Some will have █
█ trouble enjoying some of the keyboards and samples █
█ effects display here, but as long as the █
█ compositions have quality, that what's matter. █
█ Welcome to the solitude journey and imaginary █
█ world of Mariuzsz Duda. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ This is the fourth album from Poland's LUNATIC █
█ SOUL, the project of RIVERSIDE bassist and singer █
█ Mariusz Duda. As with the previous three albums we █
█ get the drummer from INDUKTI Wawrzyniec Dramowicz █
█ who happens to be the only other musician on this █
█ release. This recording is not connected to the █
█ previous three as far as the concept goes as this █
█ one is inspired by the life of an artist who █
█ escapes reality and chooses seclusion in order to █
█ create. This album has far more vocals in it when █
█ compared to the previous three which I like █
█ considering Duda is one of my favourite male █
█ singers. In fact this is easily my favourite █
█ LUNATIC SOUL album so far. I was reminded somewhat █
█ of the early melancholic and psychedelic period of █
█ PORCUPINE TREE and even Wilson's project with █
█ Akerfeldt(OPETH) called STORM CORROSION. This is █
█ headphone music just like the previous three █
█ records by LUNATIC SOUL. █
█ "Shutting Out The Sun" is such an interesting █
█ listen early on with that dark atmosphere as █
█ various sounds come and go. This is dark and █
█ experimental and it's starting to build as a beat █
█ arrives along with some beautiful acoustic guitar. █
█ Gorgeous electric guitar follows after 5 minutes █
█ followed by reserved vocals a minute later. The █
█ vocals stop then it kicks into gear 7 1/2 minutes █
█ in to the end. Love the spacey synths too. "Cold" █
█ opens with atmosphere and static and it's dark. █
█ Percussion comes in then acoustic guitar and drums █
█ as it builds. Spacey vocals join in as well. █
█ Normal vocals and an urgent rhythm follow. A calm █
█ arrives before 3 1/2 minutes and again I love the █
█ spacey synths then it kicks back in. This is so █
█ good as themes are repeated. "Gutter" again █
█ features a lot of melancholy and atmosphere as █
█ vocals, a beat and guitar lead the way. The vocals █
█ are more passionate on the chorus reminding me of █
█ RIVERSIDE. I like the vocal melodies in this one █
█ before 3 1/2 minutes and check out the huge bass █
█ before 6 minutes! Nice. "Stars Sellotaped" is a █
█ short piece as we get the sound of a door closing █
█ and being locked a spacey synths take over. █
█ Mellotron-like sounds end it. █
█ "The Fear Within" has these spooky sounds that █
█ come and go. Percussion-like sounds build as a █
█ guitar melody joins in and it also builds. Spacey █
█ synths join in and this has such a cool sound to █
█ it. A change 4 1/2 minutes in as it brightens with █
█ beautiful sounds. Another change 6 minutes in as █
█ it turns haunting and spacey. "Treehouse" is led █
█ by piano and vocals as drums join in then synths. █
█ This is down-right catchy, very enjoyable. It █
█ turns haunting with a minute to go though. █
█ "Pygmalion's Ladder" has a dark rhythm and it's █
█ very RIVERSIDE- like as an Eastern sounding guitar █
█ joins in. Laid back vocals after 3 minutes. A █
█ change after 5 minutes as the vocals stop and the █
█ sound becomes more urgent including mellotron-like █
█ sounds. The guitar is back then the vocals after 6 █
█ 1/2 minutes as it settles back. Catchy stuff. A █
█ calm before 10 1/2 minutes. Beautiful. "Sky Drawn █
█ In Crayon" features acoustic guitar, atmosphere █
█ and warm vocals. A lighter sound with children's █
█ laughter takes over then back to the dark sound █
█ after 3 minutes and vocals follow. "Walking On A █
█ Flashlight Beam" has a beat, synths and more as █
█ vocals arrive after a minute. Man he can sing. █
█ And man I adore the mood and sound of this album. █
█ Another brilliant release for 2014, a year which █
█ may be my favourite as far as music goes since the █
█ seventies. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Shutting Out the Sun 8:39 ░
░ 2. Cold 6:57 ░
░ 3. Gutter 8:41 ░
░ 4. Stars Sellotaped 1:34 ░
░ 5. The Fear Within 7:10 ░
░ 6. Treehouse 5:31 ░
░ 7. Pygmalion's Ladder 12:01 ░
░ 8. Sky Drawn in Crayon 4:58 ░
░ 9. Walking on a Flashlight Beam 8:10 ░
░ 63:41 ░
░ ▒ ▒
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