NIGHT

Having seen all the 5 star ratings of this album, I admit that I feel slightly disappointed. It's not that this is a bad album, far from it, but it is an imperfect piece of music that despite so much promise, singularly fails to excite me. The slow-building opener is very indicative of the rest of the album, minimalistic (not necessarily a bad thing) electronica breaks you in gently but then just fails to develop into anything. The random classical interlude towards the end of the song, while good, is just so out of place that you wonder why they bothered.

The shorter songs are perhaps more rewarding, but again, some excitement is lacking. It is at times reminiscent of early PORCUPINE TREE but without the distorted atmosphere and angular moments. Those who could do without those elements will no doubt be pleased with the overall result, but I must say that I feel slightly let down.

The closing song does little to redeem the album, the opening synths failing to lead anywhere that is worth going. It is only the more classical ending that is actually of any interest but, as with the opener, it is so disjointed from the rest of the song that the effect is somewhat ruined.

I feel that I'm being more negative than the album justifies. The good bits are just so spread out that I find my thumb hovering near the fast forward button a bit too often. My conclusion: good, but only in parts. If you're looking for excitement, this isn't the best place to look for it.