Brian Mcbride — When The Detail lost it's Freedom
For me the album seems to whisper of drifting on airy ocean scapes for the first few tracks, high above near the clouds or hovering just above the water. The first track Overture( for Other Half’s) brings a picture to me of a Majestic ship of wood and gold cutting slowly through sun light dancing sea. The ship seems people less, it’s just cutting its way along it’s steady course. You seem to circle around it taking in the detail of the immaculate carved body, watching the way the spray is churned by it’s onward path. A Gathering to lead me when you’re gone is like slow waltz around a carpeted deck. You move towards then away from the glinting sea scape and all you can see is the ocean and your dancing partners wonderful smile.
Our last Moment in song ,changes the tone from the early tracks and finds it’s self in slowed Pink Floyd like textures. With audio colours of regret and weariness. The singers voice has almost a Roger waters quality to it . For those who hesitate seems like an early hour of the morning, weary stroll down, ageing neon clad street. A few cars slowly creaking their way past you on the road. As you turn a corner, you come across the stark white lighting of a empty, hotel car park and for some reason it seems both deeply wonderful and profoundly sad.
With out doubt the best ambient album that has floated past my ears in this or any other year. But really what can you expect when the album is created by one half of the sublime Stars of the Lid