Subheim — No Land Called Home
Along with his main female vocalist Katja, Kostas K combines 'real' sounds like the cello, violin, clarinet and other string and percussive instruments, with electronically produced music, to create a hybrid ambiance between the two. However, in terms of actual quality this is - unfortunately - a mixed bag. I can see what he is trying to achieve, over-all, but there is sometimes a schizophrenic inconsistency here, from track to track.
When it works, there are some excellent pieces; for instance, 'Conspiracies' is a rich, haunting journey, with Katja's eerie, plaintive vocals floating over the top of what could be Egyptian - or similar world or ethnic - percussive elements and string melodies; the thick, resounding drumming fuelling the whole thing, with an 'acid-house' type electronic rhythm coming in to serenade the vocals.
On the track 'Dunes', there are a series of heavy, medieval/African influenced drum beats, all gradually entwining one another, pushing the music along at breakneck speed - it is addictive and beautiful, with the various ethnic/world instrumentation riding the tune as it reaches a crescendo. The same again with 'December', which essays luscious drumming and an 'old world' feel, the gossamer-thin, echoing vocals of Katja framing an almost Viking sensibility, as the track mellows for a short while, with ethereal strings keeping it afloat, and then starts up again on its thunderous and potent trajectory. This track belies Kostas K's avowed intention to make his music 'cinematic' to some degree - one can imagine this piece easily accompanying the forest battle in Ridley Scott's Gladiator, for instance.
But then we get the inferior tracks, which are so different, you would think someone had actually changed the CD to something less worthy. Like 'Veils' which has over-earnest, saccharine sweet vocals by Timothy N. Gregory, with faux-romantic/religious, lyrics like " You will light the candles, I will sit alone, my eyes will blur, to see between the lands of light and stone, pull the veil from my mouth, take the pearl from my lips, bring your hands, wipe my brow, steady the lamps - it is here now ". The whole thing is over-burdened and portentous - basically it's trying way too hard to sound poetic, melancholy and sad, without much substance to base it all upon, and instead comes across as kitsch and sentimental. It is in these instances when Kostas K would be better off having just acoustics, with no attempt at lyrics, and the better tracks bear this out.
Some of the tracks are just too 'easy-listening' or 'comfortable' for my liking. The first track 'Dusk' sounds like a safe, second-rate copy of classic Massive Attack, with a few extra strings thrown in, whereas 'Streets' sounds like an inferior, bogged down interpretation of Enigma's 'Mea Culpa', mixed with watered down rip-offs from Dead Can Dance (seemingly the number one classic group to plagiarise at the moment). Other tracks are redolent of Hans Zimmer, but not as accomplished or as sure of itself.
The album's wayward impulses and over-all lack of focus is irritating, because it is obvious there is real talent and ambition here, but whether you consider it 'experimental' as Kostas K does, is another matter - I certainly don't. Kostas K needs to work out which direction he wants to take this project in, and hone the most original and ingenious facets, as evidenced in excellent tracks like 'When Time Relieves' and the others listed above. This is an album which is torn between easy-listening, mellow pop-atmospherics and something much more vital, authentic and thrilling. About a third of No Land Called Home is wonderful and perfectly executed - another third is good, but not outstanding, and the final third leaves a lot to be desired. I wish him well with the next album.