Landing
"Fade In/Fade Out" EP
Strange
Attractors Audio House
Genres: drone rock, drone-folk, space rock
Strange Attractors
PO Box 13007
Portland, OR
97213-0007
Sep 23 - 29 2002 |
Landing's
last release, Seasons, was treated to both criticism and
acclaim, largely because it marked the band's return to incorporating
lyrical vocals into their music, something that wasn't present in
their ethereal Oceanless album. While some critics disagreed, I
found that singing added a whole dimension to the band's music,
lending the drones a more folk-y atmosphere.
The Fade In/Fade Out EP, then, marks a mixture of the two
styles. While certain songs, like "Against The Rain", do
feature some of the band's trademark dreamy vocals, others are purely
instrumental. But not only that, Landing also has decided to make an
unusual decision for the release - it is entirely improvised. But it
sure don't sound like it. In fact, the five songs on this album sound
as if they've been rehearsed a million times over; the timing is
right, the melodies are right, and most of all, the atmosphere is
right.
"Whirlwind" is an infinitely dense drone floating alone
between the stars. "Against The Rain" is a propulsion into
the rings of Saturn. And "Pulse", the album's long,
drawn-out closer, is a dose of powerful, haunting psychedelic ambiance
that demonstrates why Landing were given a set at this year's
Terrascope festival.
All in all, Fade In/Fade Out marks another successful
release from one of the most established psych-drone bands around;
with every record, Landing takes another step closer to being a
genre definer. I can't imagine how they'll outdo themselves next time.
88%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
37 min 22 sec; 5 tracks; distributed by the
label;
released 2002] |