There seems to be a point in solo ambient and post rock careers when artists decide it's time to try their hand at singing and song writing. Similes is Matt Cooper's try.
Musically Similes is on par with Cooper's previous work, although not as lush and landscaping as Copia. The songs tend on the shorter side and work as songs. The instrumental pieces make you wish the album was vocal less. It isn't that Cooper's vocals are offensive or terrible. But they don't ever seem to fit and find their place in the music. Given also that the music is so nicely composed and a joy to listen to on it's on, having a droning male voice in the background offsets the beauty just enough.
Overall Similes has a more electronic feel then Copia or any of Cooper's other work. Between the minimal drum machines and the synths sounds used it's just a different feel. It's more about the music and the songs as opposed to former Eluvium record which are more landscaped and flowing. The album ends with Cease to Flow, an 11 minute song which sounds like something from Hammock's Maybe They Will Sing for Us Tomorrow. The vocals are minimal (given that the songs 11 minutes) and it's a beautiful closer.
Similes isn't Cooper's best work and of course if you're looking for a place to start in Eluvium's discography, Copia is the way to go. But Similes is a nice album and something fans of ambient music will enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment