Psy’Aviah – The Earth Keeps Spinning, Without Being Noticed (Album – Alfa Matrix)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Ambient, Soundtrack.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: The new Psy’Aviah album is a collaboration and conceptual work between the Belgian musician and photographer ‘GNY’ aka Gwenny Cooman (who’s also involved with Mildreda). Yves Schelpe got inspired by her work and composed a Soundtrack for the exhibition GNY under the conceptual title “Steden Schuilen Niet Wanneer Het Regent” (translated “Cities Don’t Seek Shelter When It Rains”).
Content: The album indeed is an original ambient soundtrack featuring 11 tracks. Psy’Aviah transposed his Electro-Pop-Dance-Trance style into pure reverie. The multiple strings accentuate the Ambient side of the work, but I also noticed numerous field recordings (or samplings) now creating a dreamy impression and then a kind of astral trip. Some cuts are more mysterious like while others feel like an Electronic ballad.
+ + + : Artists are often dreaming to compose a Soundtrack. I don’t know if it was part of Schelpe’s bucket list, but he remarkably transformed himself into that style. The work is achieved with poignant strings while the multiple astral passages only reinforce the Ambient impression. I also noticed great analogue-like sound effects, which are a cool wink to some famous pioneers in this music genre. I don’t want to compare this artist with others, but some elements make me think to a modern perception of J.M. Jarre. “Slow Motion Bright Flashing Neon Lights” is a great exposure of this resemblance. But my favorite song is “The Escalator” for its mysterious sphere, which however remains devoted to Ambient.
– – – : The work is missing an absolute ‘master’ song although there’s a real potential hiding behind this work. But what I’m really missing is the addition of some real acoustic instruments like a saxophone or even guitar ao.
Conclusion: This new Psy’Aviah album is definitely one out of the box, but it for sure opens new perspectives for the artist.
Best songs: “The Escalator”, “Slow Motion Bright Flashing Neon Lights”, “Clinical Nature”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.psyaviah.com / www.facebook.com/psyaviah
Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix
About Psy’Aviah
Psy’Aviah is an industrial rock, electroclash and dark EBM project from Antwerp, Belgium, driven by Yves Schelpe. The project took form in 2004, initially focused on live performances, and won the Studio Brussel Demopoll that same year with “The Future Of The Sun”. In 2007 Schelpe teamed up with Len Lemeire (Implant, 32Crash) to record the first album. Festival appearances followed, including BIMFest 2008 and Waregem Expo Gothic Festival 2009, alongside support slots for Subsonica and Emilie Autumn. The DJ EP “Ok / Virtual Gods” was released in 2012.
Psy’Aviah’s 2020 album “The Earth Keeps Spinning, Without Being Noticed” is a conceptual collaboration with Belgian photographer Gwenny Cooman, known as GNY and also involved with Mildreda, composed as a soundtrack for her exhibition “Steden Schuilen Niet Wanneer Het Regent”.
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