Seventh Side: June 2007

via Proxy XIX: Media Kingdom by hardrain19 on Jun 13, 2007

(1) Swedish musician Tobias Lilja recently completed a two year course in Sound Engineering which resulted in his disillusionment with the clinical sound of electronic music. Where his 2003 debut album "Ex-leper" depicts a stark picture of a town in decay, "Time is on My Side" sees him experiment with adding vocals to his desolate electronic soundscapes. Vocals and electronic music often don't mix but in Lilja's case there is a certain hypnotic tone to his voice that helps add an intimate narrative quality to his music. Each track unfolds like a story being told in a half spoken, half sung style that bears an almost folk-like storytelling theme. The often quite lengthy tracks let their tales of time, choices and longing unfold as Lilja relates his tales over icy sonic soundscapes. At times, such as on "Blood Tracer" or "Dreams of Movement", the combination creates a potent mix of powerful atmosphere and heartfelt lyrical content. The building drones, layers of synth tones and sweeping melodies further enhance the mood of his impassioned lyrics on tracks like "Gas of Forgiveness" or the Coil-esque "To Be Thought Of". Lilja continues to experiment and expand on his ideas for combining his unique vocal delivery with experimental electronic sensibilities and "Time is on My Side" is a more than excellent first attempt at the concept. (http://www.side-line.com/)

(2) Tobias Lilja, a graduate of audio engineering sought to infuse his latest electronic work with more spontaneity and personality via the inclusion of lyrics. Yet the resultant effect is provocative rather than warmth. Imagine Helios arranged by David Sylvian. If 4AD house project, This Mortal Coil, had continued and evolved to this day, it might have sounded something like this. 'A ruthless beast' a descendent, perhaps, of Come Here My Love? Like a masterwork of fiction, this is a record that captures the imagination, pulling the listener into its world - a landscape that might have been conjured by Ballard or Shelley; Mervyn Peake or TS Eliot. Alternately dark, yet hopeful, Time Is On My Side is a concept album, whose themes explore choices and longing while reflecting upon the cost in lost opportunities. At 71 minutes, this is not for the jog/shuffle as each consecutive piece builds and develops on those preceding. (http://www.evilsponge.org/)

Tracklisting:
1 A Ruthless Beast (3:25)
2 Time, Oh Time (6:02)
3 My Authority (5:24)
4 Blood Tracer (8:54)
5 Dreams of Movement (7:33)
6 A Settlement of Dust (4:29)
7 Gas of Forgiveness (6:48)
8 The Pyromaniac (6:11)
9 Beginner's Optimism (5:44)
10 Gothenburg (7:12)
11 To Be Thought Of (9:36)

Label: n5MD
Catalog#: MD 142
Format: CD
Country: US
Genres: dark ambient / avant pop / trip hop
Credits: cover art by Jacob Gr nbech
Links: Official Website || Webpage@Label || @MySpace || @Last.FM || @Discogs
Download: @InfoStore [UA-IX] || @UploadComUA [UA-IX] || @ElectroMusic [UA-IX] || @LoadError
Grade: 9/10

Тот случай, когда (почти) всё держится на голосе. Слушая эту запись, мне нечаянно вспомнились три сторонних произведения: Fennesz feat. David Sylvian "Transit", Bj rk "Desired Constellation", This Mortal Coil "Waves Become Wings". Тобиас большой почитатель Сильвиана, ему импонирует манера Дэвида выражать личное минимальными средствами. Вот и в своём втором номерном альбоме (первый, как я понял, был инструментальный) Тобиас исполняет своим привлекательным тембром (по крайней мере, мне такие мужские голоса очень нравятся) личные тексты под холодные dark ambient гармонии (на втором плане - ненавязчивые зашумлённые биты, на третьем эпизодически - размазанные пианинки и скрипочки). А n5MD один из моих любимых лэйблов - большинство релизов fit my mood like a glove.

"it's out of my hands
a chain of events
tied to a beast
and this beast drags me in the dirt
ruthless
it's ruthless

am i tied up or am i clinging on?"

***

"time
oh time
will you heal me?
will you pull me out of this?
time
oh time
please push me on
push me on

and time
oh time
will you take me on?
will you
complete me?
oh time
oh time"

***

"please replace my memory
pull it out
pull it out
just pull it out

i'll be brand-new
i'll be just as new"