[Reviewed by stark]
These two charming introverts from Kranky are active in the musical field for over a quarter of a century and they managed to release a solid bunch of albums over the years. Nevertheless I must admit, I don’t know any of the previous ones and honestly speaking I don’t feel such urge, as I have the impression that it’s this kind of music which if you know one album, you know them all. Although maybe I am showing myself ignorant at the moment and it may not be so at all.
Anyway, this is something for all you fans of post-rock / ambient out there, consisting primarily of reverbed spatial guitar landscapes – nothing new under the sun, but the vocals of Windy are of a nice added value. Although she’s a woman, the color of her voice reminds me of specific male singers. I mean those with a very warm and gentle timbre, that are David Sylvian and Martyn Bates. Actually “Allegiance And Conviction” sometimes reminds me of Bates’ collaboration album with Troum “To A Child Dancing In The Wind”. They both have a similar vibe, so to speak.
I write these words around 1am, I feel a little bit sleepy, and the music flows gently, introducing a calm and blissful mood. There’s a harmony within these compositions, no dissonance, no pressure to do anything. Simply as if they didn’t care about God knows what ideas, but they wanted to convey a piece of their private life enchanted in sounds. By the way, Windy and Carl are husband and wife and – however silly it may sound – it can be heard on “Allegiance And Conviction”. Doesn’t this title sound as a definition of marriage?
My favorite track on the album is “Alone” where some distortion creeps in, drifting ahead, without any specific purpose, flowing side by side with a dreampop ethereal. Yes, this album is pretty nice, though I think you should listen to it between midnight and 6am. Otherwise it is a bit pointless, because during a turmoil of an everyday’s life, you’ll miss its core, the intimate microcosmos Windy and Carl managed to create.
Windy & Carl – Allegiance And Conviction
Kranky, KRANK226
CD/LP/Digital 2020
Santa Sangre 