Phasenmensch + Antoine Saint-Martin – A Prenatural Silence (Album – Hands)

Genre/Influences: Ambient, Industrial-Cinematic, Experimental.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Wolfram Bange aka Phasenmensch joined hands together with Antoine Saint-Martin -who was already featured at the previous album, to accomplish this new opus meant as ‘a musical rendition of Jeff VanderMeer’s bestselling novel “Annihilation”.’
Content: Phasenmensch brings something different from the previous works, the album being a diversified and even eclectic work dealing with Rhythmic-Noise but mainly driven by a surprising Cinematic experience supported with Psychedelic guitar playing. It creates a dreamy sound universe which mainly comes through at the last part of the album.
+ + + : Phasenmensch never stops exploring new sonic paths and directions this work being probably one of the most surprising productions. It has a refreshing Experimental mixing evasive and beautiful songs together with darkness while driven by down tempo rhythms. The guitar injects an authentic feeling to the work but also creates beautiful atmospheres.
– – – : This album is an atypical Phasenmensch production and also unusual for the Hands roster and yet it’s worthy of examination.
Conclusion: I didn’t expect to discover a touching work released on Hands but I can recommend the experience which is refreshing and original.
Best songs: “Back To The Coast”, “The Afterglow Has Faded – She Has Melted Into The Sand”, “Waiting For The Soundless Fall – The Calm Just Beyond”, “Entering The Tower”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/phasenmensch
Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official
About Phasenmensch
Phasenmensch is the project of Wolfram Bange, with a discography built around German-titled works including “Schweigen”, “Der Letzte Mensch”, “Begegnungen”, “Die Welt Erfriert”, “Tagebuch Eines Eremiten” and “Rohmaterial”. The previous album, “Haunted (The Gentle Indifference Of The World)”, already featured collaborator Antoine Saint-Martin, who returns for “A Prenatural Silence”, conceived as a musical rendition of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel “Annihilation”.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
