[Reviewed by stark]
Even though I’m one hundred percent a city rat, living in a big industrial metropolis sometimes makes me yearn for a quiet rural life, far from urban turmoil. Sure, I can go for a picnic to the park on weekends or something but its nothing but a few moments of relaxation during which I think about work anyway, so what kind of recreation is that?
For me Strom Noir was always an aural counterpart of a stress-free life in the country. Having a vineyard, or an auberge in Provence for example. Lying on a riverside meadow, watching the clear blue sky, feeling the warm breeze on my face. Peace of mind, peaceful environment. Only some distant stormclouds on the horizon…
Sorry for that rather new agey paragraph. Fortunately, Emil’s music is devoid of that genre’s cheesiness. He found his individual path very early and he’s continually faithful to it, so if you know any of his previous releases you know what kind of music to expect, more or less. Based on guitar drones, stretched, processed, sometimes reverbed and imitating the sounds of nature like the chirping of insects etc. All this is covered with a blanket of serene melancholy. Sure, it requires a certain state of mind, because otherwise it may bore you or slip by unnoticed in the background.
For a moment I had my doubts. More of the same? Shouldn’t he leave his comfort zone and try something new? But as each minute passed I forgot these questions and eventually I gave in to the sonic bliss. Again. There’s no point in criticizing projects like Strom Noir, because searching for the unknown is not their purpose. It is made for you to escape the noise and clear your mind for an hour or so.
Good to see that – on the contrary to Strom Noir – Winter Light takes the risk (not a very big one, let’s be honest) and tries to reach another audience, outside of typical dark ambient boundaries. This album is perfect for fans of such labels as Home Normal or Dronarivm and for anyone who feels that his head is heavy and needs a reset.
Strom Noir – Mountains Become Machines
Winter Light, WIN 014
CD/Digital 2018
Santa Sangre 