Whalesong – Leaving A Dream (Album – Zoharum)
#image_title
Genre/Influences: Industrial, Apocalyptic-Rock, Experimental.
Format: Digital, 2CD.
Background/Info: Polish sonic project Whalesong has been active since 2009. The band is driven by Michal Kielbasa (vocals, guitars, lap steel guitar, bass, hammered dulcimer, tubular bells, vibes, mellotron, keys, lyra8, theremin, gong, percussion, zither, sitar, violin), Grzegorz Zawadzki (drums, percussion), Piotr Dziemski (guitars) and Elise Aranguren (vocals). This new opus has been accomplished by an impressive number of guest artists.
Content: The main disc stands for the ‘true’ face of Whalesong; a heavy, overwhelming, production moving from a Dark-Ambient opening cut to apocalyptic, Industrial-Rock music. Guitar and drums are often reminding me of early Swans. The few cuts featuring female vocals reveal a softer and even ‘catchy’ Industrial side. The second disc holds on similar influences as the main disc although it’s more Experimental and even touches ground with a kind of Free-Jazz style.
+ + + : I especially salute the multi-instrumentalism of this project and its core member Michal Kielbasa. Together with the multiple guest musicians it creates an impressive sonic canvas. I prefer the darker passages and especially the way guitar and drums create an uplifting effect. “Leaving A Dream” is a great track to experience -which also sounds like ‘Film-Noir’-music but I also recommend the more ‘catchy’ sounding “Hope”. From the second disc I enjoyed “From The Ashes” which also has this elevating effect.
– – – : Some parts are quite cacophonous and sound like improvised. I’m less into this complexity and Experimentalism.
Conclusion: This work reminds me to early Industrial experiments from the 80s.
Best songs: “Leaving A Dream”, “Hope”, “From The Ashes”.
Rate: 7½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/whalesongofficial
Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
