Wednesday 28 November 2012

Koan - Argonautica Review





Artist: Koan

Release: Argonautica

Format: Digital & CD Album

Label: Section Records

Release Date: 10th December 2012






Nick Brennans Section records bring us label mates Koan's latest psybient album 'Argonautica' and people, it's a beaut!

It takes the Greek legend of Jason and the argonauts epic tale and uses it as the inspirational template to create a warm and psychedelic soundscape.

It opens with 'Orpheus and Eurydice' and it really does give the feeling of casting off onto calm seas with echoing, lapping arpeggios and breezes of warm flowing synth's. This combined with the liquid feel to the sparse rhythmic percussion really does give the feeling of being afloat.

There is a feeling of traversing deeper waters with 'Lost Lyre' and the melodies become more intricate and layered. I've found with each new listen another hidden gem of melody and effects become uncovered.

As the album develops the beats become more pronounced and the BPM's go up a notch or two for 'Irida Falls for Morpheus Pits', 'Crying Prozepine' (Blue mix) and 'Pegasus' where the former of the three morphs halfway through into lush breaks and washes of arpeggiated echoing synth.

Although the synth's maintain their trance like feel throughout the course of the album they never become repetitive and the programming constantly changes and evolves creating an emotive, affecting and never static listening experience.

'Seven Mirrors of Atlas' is a warm psychedelic dubby workout with cavernous echoes, deep swathes of bass, snares in the deep and once more multi layered soothing melodies and intelligent fx.

The journey comes to an end with 'Ladon' (Serpent Mix) which after more finely placed tripped out fx and slowed breaks closes with uplifting waves of synths.

This album is an absolute gem and having Nick Brennan (Tripswitch) on mastering duties really puts the icing on the cake to this already accomplished masterpiece.

Don't miss this one.

Now, where did i put that fleece..

CKAJohn

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