Mount Shrine – Shortwave Ruins (Album – Cryo Chamber)
Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, cinematographic.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Cezar Alexandre is back on track unleashing a new full length album from his Mount Shrine project. I’ve to say I wasn’t totally convinced by the previous official album “Ghosts On Broken Pavement” released last year on Cryo Chamber.
Content: It’s not clear if “Shortwave Ruins” is a pure conceptual work, but the multiple radio shortwave messages clearly are the guiding line through this work. It feels a bit like a spaceship that has stranded on an unknown place and where the crew is in touch with the home base. The samplings have been merged together with multiple field recordings and dark electronic layers. The work features 5 tracks, the last one (cf. “Hindmost Flood”) leading the listener to a truly apex.
+ + + : The idea of the radio shortwave messages is not new, but it definitely works. Reinforced by the dark approach of the music it all together creates a mysterious and somewhat paranoiac effect. The visual strength of the work emerges, but still creates a new intimate sphere. The tracks have been progressively built up reaching their ultimate point during the last song. I personally prefer this album to previous releases.
– – – : The sound formula remains a bit repetitive, but in the end it simply works!
Conclusion: This is my personal favorite Mount Shrine album thus far. The entire work is supported with a dense, mysterious atmosphere bringing dark-ambient and cinematographic together.
Best songs: “Hindmost Flood”, “Reach None”, “Earth Bridge”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.facebook.com/mtshrine
Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber
About Mount Shrine
Mount Shrine is the dark-ambient, cinematographic project of Brazilian artist Cezar Alexandre. The project debuted with “Winter Restlessness” in 2018, followed a year later by “Ghosts Of Broken Pavement” (2019), both released on Cryo Chamber. “Shortwave Ruins” continues that relationship with the label, built around recurring shortwave radio transmissions running through its five tracks.
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