Review Summary: HANS! GET ZE KRAUT!
„This one's a grower, I'm feeling it.“ That pretty much sums up my initial impression of the album after I had stumbled upon it randomly at a record store near my place and given it a test listen. I hadn't heard anything about this band with the peculiar name previously, but the artwork seemed intriguing and so I picked it up.
And boy, was I in for a ride.
Right from the get-go the album envelops you in with its high atmospheric density like a warm blanket during a cold winter night. The hazy and spacey instrumentation on the opener "Sinister Waters I" immediately draws you in. Once the wonderfully contrasting falsetto singing sets in, you're already lost floating, amazed by the wonders surrounding you...
The second song, "Sinister Waters II", is another high point on this record. If you find yourself uncertain whether you like this album or not, since it might feel a little clunky initially, just take a moment and listen to this track's intro. Just do it. The song itself in a nutshell seamlessly continues where its predecessor ended, treading down the same psychedelic path, while constantly keeping it an interesting listen by adding in little hidden surprises here and there.
In general, the atmosphere on the album is very unique, it has this Post-rock like feel to it, with the hypnotic underlying themes changing slightly whilst progressing the songs slowly. Furthermore, the band does not shy away from experimentation and playing around with their available tools, for example the wonderfully implemented sax during the chorus of "Sinister Waters I".
But let's not forget the psychedelic and Shoegaze influences that make up another big part of the overall sound. Fuzzy guitars, the washed out soundscape and countless 70'ies-influenced keyboard and synthesizer effects really take the cake on this record.
Cascades of sound come crashing down ever so slowly while the distorted guitars take you deeper down the rabbit hole as the record progresses. If the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland were to ever make a music album, it would sound something along the lines of this record.
Unfortunately, the second half of the album is not as strong as the first one. It feels as if in some parts the band just went off the deep end, for example the closure to "Starik" feels too drawn out, too fuzzy and just crawls towards its end aimlessly. It's as if at some points the warm blanket were no longer comforting but much rather suffocating. Mostly, however, it remains an enjoyable listen, closing on a high note with Ruination, which feels much more concise and to-the-point than the second half overall.
The album leaves you with a feeling of wanting more, wanting to dive into the psychedelic abyss once more.
Kairon;IRSE!'s Ruination indeed is a grower, each subsequent listen is a different experience and takes the listener to places far far away yet close to heart.
“Where should I go?" -Alice.
"That depends on where you want to end up." - The Cheshire Cat.
