Allseits — Chimäre

Allseits' (Nina Kernicke) follow-up to 2009's acclaimed Hel, Chimäre, has the artist building a glorious landscape of stacked drones and deep pulses which work to draw the listener into a lush, sonic world. Having worked in the past with the likes of Troum and Aun, it's no surprise that Allseits offers up such luxurious textures. Cyclic Law's release of Chimäre is limited, so don't hesitate on picking it up.

Off in the distance, and slowly coming to the foreground, two competing, lightly oscillating guitar drones fill the air. While one stays the course, one veers off and follows its oscillating lust into a pulse that propels the track forward. Changing, deepening, and conversely, screeching higher, the layers grow in number and breadth, and the full scope of "Drown" is revealed. "October" starts with deep, heavy, percussive hits before the sweeping, airy level floats in on top. Like the soundtrack that would accompany a fly over in an orc filled foundry deep in the Earth, the music adds an extra layer of depth to an already vivid scene. Impressively, "October" continues similarly for seventeen minutes without ever feeling long or repetitive. Deep and brooding mixes with a fairly medieval sound on "In the Hills." Looped, picked notes have a harpsichord feel that makes up the filling of this sonic sandwich. Slowly moving lows and sparse, sweeping higher notes keep it contained. This track is very interesting and very active. Followed by a windswept "Interlude," the album's mystique continues to grow. Dark and cinematic, the picture painted by Allseits is vast and gorgeous. It's sunny and bright, while also being dark and foreboding.  With that, the crossover in scope can be seen from the very beginning of "Sink In Sideways." Like a twisted didgeridoo, the looped, buzzed instrument takes a more subterranean approach, and the chthonic contrast is very evident. Highs that accented the brightness now shimmer in the back like crystal stalactites while the exploration goes ever deeper.  Is the "Monster" at the end something deep within the Earth or deep within oneself? Regardless, it's dark, crunchy, and eerie. Buzzing and rolling forward, the meat takes up most of the spectrum, while distant crumble boils and percolates in the back. This percolation hits a fevered pitch, and Chimäre arrives at its peak before fading out into the echoed abyss.

Drones and loops aren't the easiest medium in which to make a compelling piece of music. Too often, it never gets beyond the boring state, and sits lifelessly in the corner. Allseits has no problems, though, making a lush, compelling album with this approach. Long, but never feeling it, Chimäre uses the contrast of darkness and light very well. The listener can take a lot of meaning out of this glorious soundscape, and it's highly recommended that they do so.