AUN — Alpha Heaven

Montreal makes me think of underage, horny American kids getting drunk, going to strip clubs, and feeling anything they can get their hands on. I never put any thought into their music scene, and, apparently, I missed a monster. Since 2007, AUN has released a bunch of albums and EPs. Although their earlier output is mostly drone and ambient, AUN have released a synthy, spacey kraken of an album in Alpha Heaven. So, strap on your pack and helmet and get ready to soar.

AUN's 2011 release "Phantom Ghost" saw the band shift from droning experimental to synthy soundscapes and rhythms. This is continued on Alpha Heaven and done so with aplomb. With eleven songs at 57+ minutes, all of the songs get their time to shine without overstaying their welcome (well, save for Return to Jupiter and the 10:38 runtime). Alpha Heaven can best be described as airy and spacey. Layers of synth drones play off each other to build numerous soundscapes. Some are low altitude flights just above the surface while others have us soaring to the upper limits and taking in an entire world with a glance. The songs all work together really well with their ebb, flow, and build. "Koenig" starts the album off with light, soft drones broken up by glitchy pulses. Soon, we're treated to a majestic, airy soundscape built with the great lows, vocalesque highs, and everything in between. A distorted organ sweeps from the back to the front and reminds us of how far from the ground we are. "Viva" takes a different approach with drums making a really cool, simple beat. The synths are a bit lower on this and have their own sort of smoky swirl. They eventually sweep to a nice build before some faux guitar tones come into play. To me, though, the ultimate space travel song is "Alpha." The distant arpeggios definitely hearken back to synth albums of the 70's. Notes come to the front and disappear back into the void. The synths get their cue and begin to move and dance their way to the front. A nice layer of crunch floats just beyond reach. Clear piano notes cut through the electronic fog. The song develops a sense of urgency and then fades out as we land (either successfully or in a horrible fireball). AUN makes space travel seem far less terrifying that it should be.

 

Alpha Heaven is perfect for fans of 70's and 80's synth work. Sun Ra was right, space is the place. I got a very "2010: The Year We Make Contact" vibe from this. Not sure if that's intentional or not, but I like it. This album is perfect for that rainy day when you just want to zone out and pretend to be anywhere but where you are.