layered masterpiece that takes many listens to appreciate
588420
I discovered this band late.  However after buying their albums after being exposed to this great band through "Souvenirs" I believe this is The Gathering's great work.  However it takes many listens to begin to appreciate it.

On a basic level compared to other Gathering albums, the songwriting appears to be simple and the band appears to be holding back in the playing department never quite taking off into full "rock out" mode with raging guitars and double kick drum moments that graced their previous albums....However, the gathering apply the "less is more" approach with stunning results. The songs have space and openess compared to Mandylion and Nighttime Birds.  But more importantly, the band finally learned how to make a album sound not based on trying to recreate the "live" feeling in the studio.  The band and their producer and engineer succeeded because this thing is one of the best recorded albums I own.  The sonics and textures on this thing are a marvel.  I hear the band was influenced by Radiohead's "Ok Computer" when they recorded HTMAP (another album, if one remembers that took some time to figure out it was a masterpiece as well)

Sonics alone a great album doesn't make.  This thing also has just mind blowing moving music similar to the scope of early 70's Floyd Albums.  And on top of that, this album contains what I consider one of the greatest rock songs of all time, "Travel".  A Requiem for Mozart of sorts and at nine minutes, a song that never becomes boring after several repeated listens.(quite a feat)

end

kdc
3968097
at first I was not sure about this version, but then I could not stop listening, once I took the time to hear the brilliance of the work.
433080
I'll say it right off the bat: this album is not for pop listeners.  This is very niche ambient, with dark moods written throughout.  I first got my hands on this when I was hosting electronic music radio shows at KSVR-FM in Washington State, and while the album turned me off at first, through successive playings, I grew to love it.

The layered quality of this album is pretty amazing, with both synthetic and natural sounds interwoven again and again into an aural tapestry that can only be described as desperately haunting.  This album easily matches the best ambient from giants like Steve Roach, and in many respects, I think this album does Roach one better.  Not a "noise" album at all, Substrata has bona fide musical composition; just of a sort so odd and out of the ordinary that an untested ear might not recognize it at first.  Certainly I didn't, and I like to think of myself as a hard-core electronic music audiophile.

Especially interesting is the use of the Twin Peaks spoken word clip on track 6.  Not being much of a David Lynch or Twin Peaks fan, I did not know the origins of this clip until recently.

If you're an existing electronic or ambient music fan, and want to stretch your tastes a little, especially during those late night aural soujurns with your CD player, pick up a copy of this.  It's not for everyone, but for those who can appreciate its subtle, unusual qualities, you won't be disappointed!
2089834
I was pulling into my driveway late one night when this album began playing on a late-night new age show on the radio.  I was immediately entranced and ended up listening to the album in its entirety, right there in my car, sitting in the driveway.  I found it on Amazon and ordered my own copy, and since it has grown to be one of my favorite albums.

These tracks are not for everyone, and I only say that because the depth and variation of the music is incredible.  If it had to fit into a category it would most likely be "new age", but only new age in the incredibly broad, "worldly" sense.  Kingfisher's music doesn't follow any particular genre; instead, each song is simply its own unique creation, crafted in the mind of someone who obviously knows music very intimately.  The compositions are beautiful and haunting, and during a song such as "Bird Dreams" absolutely joyful.  Kingfisher's voice is very rich and beautiful-- traits I don't normally associate with male vocalists.

Again, I can't recommend this album to everyone.  It is incredibly unique, and the only way to know whether you will enjoy it is to experience it.  My only sorrow is that such a skilled composer would remain so very unnoticed.  I wish greatly that there were a way to get a hold of more music like this, but I can't seem to find any.  But at least I can enjoy this fantastic album, and hopefully someday Kingfisher will begin to get the recognition he deserves.
658533
This album has taken me to another place in every aspect. I have not listened to an album for over a month straight like I have with Ivywild, in the longest time. I feel like a kid again discovering and listening to my favorite cassettes over and over again.

The musical transitions in each song, the instrumentation, the way it was mixed, the way it was produced. A true masterpiece. The album grows on you like a sweet fungus.  Between me and my two other friends, we all chose different first listen favorites. Just comes to show how many gems are on this album. Every time I re-listened to the album (about 40 times I'd say), a song that I thought was good became greater and greater. You end up falling deeper and deeper in love with it with every pass.

In this day in age with music flying at us left and right, it's sometimes easy to overlook a find such as this, and that is why I search for new albums every day. I know that through all the tons of albums I look through, I will eventually come across a treasure that makes the search all worthwhile.

Thank you so much for taking your time to put out quality music that will be remembered forever by listeners who know how to appreciate gems like this one here.

Thank you!
215638
Although the music is very very different than Queen's, it has one similarity.  It should be made into a Rock Opera.  I'm surprised it's never been done.  The music is incredible and it evokes emotion in a way that allows you let it go when you turn it off.

It's a well put together masterpiece of great vocals and complex and wonderful music.  The lyrics are so much--literal, symbolic/metaphoric, mezmerizing.
2374307
There is something compelling about music that has a layered complexity.  Listen one time and hear one thing.  Listen another time, hear something different.  Totally refreshing and never tiring.  As a teenager, I found that in very early Chicago (up to Chicago VII), Pink Floyd, Mike Batt, Led Zeppelin, among others.  But popular music today seems to lack strong song writing and relies on beat and video to capture the imagination.  Hence at 46 years old, I have discovered the beautifully layered complexity of goth (?) metal.  I am a recent afficianado of Sirenia and find "An Elixir For Existence" to be absolutely captivating.  The vocal textures are superb varying between growls, male vocals, female vocals and choir accompaniment.  The interweaving of guitars, strings, and percussion is amazing.  A few years back I said that if I was stranded on a desert island with only three albums I would want Chicago Transit Authority, Alan Parsons Tales of Mystery And Imagination and Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds.  Which one should I jettison to keep Sirenia's "An Elixir For Existence"?  An exquisite album.
4460203
As mixed reviews have shown, It's a polarizing album. If you're already a big fan, odds are you will love it; If you're a casual fan expecting to hear cookie-cutter EDM singles, it's probably not for you. This is music that demands patience and close attention to the details, but rewards repeat listening. Deviating from the style of his previous releases, this is not a collection of singles but a sprawling and ambitious soundscape best experienced from front to back.

Among various influences, the album notably nods at The Fragile by NIN (which was an equally polarizing album) as well as Trent Reznor's soundtrack work to great affect, proving that Deadmau5 has aspirations beyond the current electronic scene. If this is a sign of compositional work to come from Joel Zimmerman, I think we have a lot to look forward to.

As a long time fan, this is the album I've been waiting to hear and that I knew Deadmau5 could make. This is the point at which a great musician becomes a legend -- but that doesn't mean everyone who hears it will get it.
286141
Let me Preface this by saying a few things:
First, I'm pretty new to the electronica/ambient music genre. I really love Boards of Canada, Flying Lotus, and Briano Eno. But beyond that, I am still a novice.

Second, I am still absorbing this album. This is very much a recording that has to grow on you. Not every track on this album is easily digestible: some of it is VERY much a required taste.

So, here are my thought's on this album:

From a musician/guitarist's perspective, this music has shown me a different kind of beauty apparent in music. The idea that you can make beautiful music without a said melody, structure, chord progression, or groove is very exciting. I have learned so much about textures, atmospheres, and sound in general from this album. Selected Ambient Works II, in addition with the music and playing of Bill Frisell, has inspired me to do more with creating textures through the use of loop samplers, delays, reverb, and synth pedals. In short, this album opened the flood gates for me in terms of creativity and experimentation.

From strictly a listner's perspective, the music presented here is extremely minimalistic and esoteric. Don't expect ANYTHING remotely commericial on this album. S.A.W 85-92, in comparison, is much more accesibile in these terms (particularly the gorgeous opening track, "Xtal".) What this album does so well is mood. Throughtout the entire recording, there maintains a sense of isolation, heaviness, and nostalgia. There is a certain kind of musical vagueness here(perhaps akin to the vagueness of memories) which creates a dark, haunting, menacing kind of beauty. Some tracks are downright gorgeous: "Rhubarb" is probably one of the most peaceful, melancholy, beautiful things I have ever heard. It immediately recalls images from childhood. Consisting only of a lone, desolate synth and a simple chord progression, it becomes hypnotic in its monotony and constancy. I could fall asleep to this song every night. Other tracks are just plain creepy and unsettling: "Radiator" sounds like evil clowns waltzing around an abandoned ballroom. Sounds silly, right? Listen to the this song in the dark...

 If you can accept this music for what it is, you will get so much out of it. Keep an open mind. If you can do that, you may find here some of the most beautiful music you're likely to hear for a long time.
1532923
This album is not for everybody. It's deeply ensconced metaphors and overall dreamy lyrics are not, on the surface, easy to interpret. The album is layered: synth on synth on synth on top of drums and guitars and clarifying harmonies. It's not necessarily something that permeates the radio.

However, it does mesh well with a certain type of music fan. This music fan is somebody that enjoys contrast, deep lows and soaring highs. This music fan enjoys the unique, the sublime, even the surreal. This album, very much like their debut We Are Pilots, takes on an ethereal tone. This music lover is just that, a music lover. They listen twice, three times, and fall in love harder each time.

I love the chemistry that this album crystallizes. Recorded in the perfect moment, this album represents the very early aftermath of a breakdown in relationships, and at the same time, represents the rebuilding of connection, the reconnection with hope, and the hope for a better outcome than the first time around.

Shiny Toy Guns seemed to just be flirting with mainstream success in 2007, when they were nominated for a Grammy. Their formula for music creation is loveable and unique, and this album should garner the attention that has been owed to the band since the first time they took their catchy disco-indie-pop-rock-whatever-you-want-to-call-it music on the road for their first tour.  If nothing else, look up the video for "Fading Listening", where they cast kids as the "Tiny Toy Guns". This band is bristling with innovation, Capitoline on the advent of EDM and mixing it in with brutally honest modern indie rock. It took me a few listens, and a little research to discover the depth of their songs, but this album has grown to be my favorite of theirs, and my arguably, my favorite album of 2012.
3995502
I'll admit that when I first heard "Bloodflowers," I wasn't blown away. I suppose that at the time of its release, I was more into the pop side of The Cure, having been a fan since 1985's "Head on the Door." However, after witnessing the album performed live on the "Trilogy" DVD, I've had a "change of head." I now believe that "Bloodflowers" is an amazingly understated piece of work. It's a guitar-drenched and somewhat psychedelic affair, and, like "Pornography," a little impenetrable upon first listen. And, like "Pornography," it gradually grows on you, indeed nearly attaches itself to you, immersing the listener in a world of brooding introspection. However, unlike "Pornography," "Bloodflowers" is never scary, only darkly ethereal.

"Bloodflowers" represents the classic and art rock facet of The Cure, and at times calls forth the influences of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. The title track, the album's most haunting song, and certainly the band's darkest since "The Hanging Garden," even boasts a delicious Hendrix-style guitar solo.

Aside from the title track, highlights of this album include the lushly solemn "The Loudest Sound" (which provides an unsual flourish when Robert Smith croons the song's title and a chiming guitar riff competes with his lyric), the contemplative "The Last Day of Summer," the exquisitely existential "Where the Birds Always Sing," and "There is No If...," which showcases Smith's quirky romantic humor. For some, the album's weakest moment is the epic "Watching Me Fall," but for me, it's one of the best tracks, and it's enhanced by eerily erotic lyrics.

"Bloodflowers" has been maligned for its lyrical flatness, but honestly, I think these are some of Smith's best lyrics yet. Yes, they are less typically ambiguous and surreal (save for the chilling dialogue that embellishes the title song, and the words adorning the aforementioned "Watching Me Fall"). Their peculiar power lies in their taut simplicity, explicit introspection, and restrained pathos.

Some people have criticized "Bloodflowers" for not living up to the melancholic grandeur of "Disintegration," while others have lamented the lack of sinister edge so prevalent on "Pornography." But I think "Bloodflowers" was not intended to be a replication of either of those albums, but rather an amalgam of the best aspects of both, and I think it works masterfully well. The subtle potency of "Bloodflowers" will elude the masses, but patient listeners will reap many rewards from this CD.
3600309
It's been in my collection for seventeen years and my estimation of it does nothing other than continually increase.  "Calenture" is the Triffids' masterpiece.  The depth of the songwriting and its observations (ranging from wistfully tender to sardonic to tragic), and the overall pace of the album all indicate that their leader, young David McComb, was an intense artist of the most elite caliber.

"Calenture" is one of the rare pieces of music that achieves the very difficult trick of being both emotionally evocative and poignant, but also philosophically profound.  McComb's songwriting here always takes the high road; he never settles for mere maudlin sentiment, when he knew perfectly well that he could do better.  He expresses the pains within the human condition with dry-eyed grace, unblinking courage and a razor-edged tongue.

Some of the songs on the gentler first side of the album wouldn't be out of place coming from a boom box on a happy sunny day in the park; but the album takes on a foreboding and tragic tone by side two. McComb's awe-struck sense of mortality never deserts him, nor does his essentially Christian sense of tragedy.

While David's lyrics set a very high bar, the instrumentation and production of the album rose to the occasion.  From the percussion, to the keyboards, to the strings to the guitars, there is hardly a single note out of its rightful place on this gem of an album.  Seizing the moment, the little band of  high-school chums from lonely, remote, Perth, W.A., reached way up high and did a yeoman's job of seamlessly stitching all of the complex narrative together, without a single weak link showing among the lot of them.

Listen, for example, to the explosive guitar break after the mid-song scream in "Kelly's Blues"; or the simple literal piano figures caressing the equally literal vocal refrains at the closing stanza of "Blinder By The Hour"; or the aching, mournful bagpipes at the close of the album's stunning climax, "Jerdacuttup Man".

Then go and tell me this wasn't an band of inspired individuals putting out 110%.

Sadly, throughout their career, the Triffids evoked polarized reactions.  For most, they were too real, too human, too scary. The outward indifference that many displayed towards the band served to mask the more fundamental hostility that the superficial classically accord to the sincere.

In the end, even the facade of indifference became a burdensome act for the Mandarin elites of the Australian music business. When they guiltily threw the Triffids a crumb,  a Western Australia Music Industry lifetime-achievement award, in 1990, as the Triffids were teetering on the edge of disbanding, they hadn't counted on anyone representing the band to be there to accept the award.  Until, that is, Triffids keyboardist Jill Birt stepped out of the crowd and up onto the stage...in her cocktail waitress uniform; fortuitously, she had found employment serving drinks at the casino where the ceremony was held.

The Triffids encountered totally criminal levels of indifference and incomprehension, but, in the end, they made their mark, and have the deathless gratitude of a small legion of fans.  Long live the Triffids.
4340712
It took me a while to adapt to this album but now that I've been listening to just this for the past four days, I can tell you that the whole album is like any other major trip. The sound is not as contemporary as I initially took it to but the artist has an amazing voice and the music production only makes it sounds like she knows what she is doing. DO NOT be mistaken by the album cover. Neko Case sounds like she was meant to do just this. The album perfectly syncs with my early morning loneliness and is also a great listen during times of irritability.

Can I now talk about some songs that moved me? Tornado Loves You is a bold opener and gives one no idea about what's going to happen next. Track 2 is riveting, her voice sounds like an epiphany and the storytelling is beautiful.  Another favourite of mine is Polar Nettles because it holds you by the throat from the very first second.

MIDDLE CYCLONE requires compulsive listening and because of just how varied and charming each and every track seems, the album requires a lot of devotion which many a listener will thankfully give in to.

Although this album reminds me a lot of Extraordinary Machine, I have to say it I like it more than Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. The title track, Middle Cyclone, is absolutely beautiful. A rhythmic mixture of acoustic blues with some twilight hope and heavenly vocals with meaningful lyrics....a music listener's dream.

I would have given this album five stars but it would be a little contrived to do so within four to five days of addiction to it. Do not be fooled by the album cover, Neko Case is no Lady Gaga and I thank mother earth for that. The music is thoughtful, moving, passionate, the lyrics are tearjerking at times while uplifting all the time. Albums of such caliber is hard to find and Neko Case has a fan for life in me.
4322129
The title track to this album is stunning and most of the rest of the album has elements which are very moving, both lyrically and musically.  It's catchy, natural and the messages in the songs are thought-provoking and practical.  If you don't speak Spanish it's so good to listen to superficially as well.  Highly, highly recommended, I've really dug into this album but the title track is a CLASSIC; so haunting, moving, beautiful and musically original within the frames of a great pop song.  I listened to it dozens of times in a row getting glimpses of what he's probably talking about (but then again I'm an overthinker or a little slow...) and the musical beauty plus the mystery in the lyrics makes for some damn good clean fun.
4956605
This album is among a handful that I am aware of that truly embraces the psychedelic in every sense of the word. Woven into this album is an intricate and vast soundscape; a journey into a world of aural delights - whimsical, dark or just plain weird. Yes folks, welcome to shpongle land. Top to bottom the music production sizzles. Any layperson (i.e. me) will be able to appreciate the layers of electronic goodness with strange and wonderful ethnic and otherworldly sounds that interleave, to give rise to a psy masterpiece as I like to think of it. A few other things: listening to this album does not require drugs, just some quite alone time with no distractions, a good pair of cans and a clear mind; its beauty will become apparent. I also highly recommend all the other work of shpongle and also checking them out in concert. Finally, other artists that are comparable in their psy goodness at this caliber of production and not to be missed are Androcell and Schulman. Now go get the music and take a romp through Shpongleland!
3637431
One of the very best works of the last two decades by anyone. A very difficult album to get into, you really owe it to yourself to listen to it several times.
It's the kind of work that you never get tired of listening to.
Buy it, you will not regret it.
2492624
I had to listen to the CD a few times to really appreciate it.  It certainly gets finer after every listen.  Its not electric guitar-oriented blues like DeStijl (my favorite).  Instead they use a great deal of acoustic instruments, like piano, marimba and acoustic guitar.  Some people say this is a transition album.  I think its more evolution than transition.  Jack's trying to push the limits of his music.  Outstanding effort.