Alcest have been generating a buzz in the underground music community for some time, and not without reason. As the solo project of up-and-coming French black metal legend Neige moved farther away from its metal roots, it showed unprecedented promise. While it still retains some of its metal undertones, Souvenirs D’un Autre Monde also incorporates heavy shoegaze and post-rock influences. The result is a beautifully unique combination that is sure to spew classification disputes among fans and critics alike.
With its incredible atmosphere and
dreamlike feel, Souvenirs sounds like
a nostalgic journey through childhood. Neige’s surreal vocals drift atop a
layer of alternating acoustic interludes and tremolo picked guitar riffs to
create an otherworldly effect. Although much of the distorted guitar adopts a
massive wall-of-sound style, it never sounds harsh or brutal. The effect is
similar to shoegaze or shoegaze-influenced bands such as My Bloody Valentine or
Jesu. Despite these inevitable comparisons, it’s still safe to say
that Alcest has carved a niche of its own into the list of unique modern
sounds.
In the
midst of its reflective aura and engaging arrangements, it’s hard to find something
bad to say about Souvenirs. Although
its 40 minute length might seem brief on paper, Souvenirs never feels too short. Similarly, although each of the album’s
tracks clock in between six and seven minutes in length, they never get boring
or repetitive. It’s a rarity to find an album with no weak tracks, but Neige
has pulled this off wonderfully. The downside to this is that some of the songs
begin to sound somewhat similar. This may or may not be an issue; after all, if
it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Souvenirs is that it’s sure to have a wide appeal across a variety of genres. Even those interested in predominantly mainstream music will likely enjoy this release. The bottom line: Overhyped? Perhaps. Overrated? Perhaps. Nevertheless, still an amazing release that is bound to see heavy rotation in many a playlist.
| Reviewer: Josh Coppola Added: July 31st 2007 |
|
