Background/Info:
Bulgarian
born Hristo Gospodinov has already released a few noticeable releases. Most of
his work got released through Cyclic Law and I especially have to mention the
previous work “Ordeal 26.04.86” as an
absolute masterpiece. This new opus also is the artist’s debut work on
Cryo Chamber. The work is again a conceptual release inspired by ‘a
metaphysical journey into the primordial chaos of the building blocks of the
Universe. It is based on the concept of the Four Elements – Earth, Water, Wind,
Fire, plus the Fifth Element, Quintessence, which here represents the
abiogenesis, and organic life itself. Each track is here named after a specific
element and the titles are in Old Greek with Latin transcription’.
Content:
Shrine
creates an interesting sound dimension, which is based upon
dark-ambient/cinemtographic music although completed by unavoidable field
recordings and drone passages. The particularity is also emerging from the use
of real instruments and I here thought to have recognized a flute. The tracks
are dreamy, but always dark and sometimes even moving into bombast (cf. “Aer”).
+
+ + : Shrine simply confirms its great potential. The album again has a strong
visual appeal, which is mainly due to subtle creation of cinematic and ambient
passages. You feel like walking through an enlightening darkness, created by
the fusion of sound manipulations, field recordings and authentic instruments.
The tracks are progressively reaching their apotheosis when joined by the
bombast of droning percussion parts. Despair is slowly transposed into artistic
beauty!
–
– – :
Both debut cuts are cool, but maybe a little hesitant compared to the 3
tracks left.
Conclusion:
I
still have a little preference from the previous Shrine album, but this new
work only confirms the growing talent of this Bulgarian solo-project. I
consider Shrine as a true reference when it comes to contemporary dark-ambient
music.
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