SOLAR

YOLK are an Avant band out of France who released their first album back in 2001. This is my first experience with them and man what an excellent album this is. If not for that second track I'd being giving this 5 stars. There are things about that second song that annoy me unfortunately but the rest of this album reaches some real highs for me. The Zeuhl vibe on that opening track with the female vocals chanting away are right up my alley, and for me that's where the Zeuhl references start and end. The closer is powerful with some incredible vocals.

"Solar" opens with drums but then this powerful sound starts to come and go as the drums continue. An interesting start then we get this dead calm before guitars, drums and vocal melodies take over 1 1/2 minutes in. Nice. This is rather haunting. Bass 3 minutes in then it kicks in hard before 4 minutes as vocal melodies and more continue. Intense! Love that guitar before 4 1/2 minutes. A catchy rhythm takes over as vocal expressions continue. It settles with guitar only after 6 1/2 minutes then the intensity increases as Zeuhl-like chanting kicks in with that heavy sound. So good! An experimental calm arrives just before 10 minutes and atmosphere will also join in as the experimental sound continues. A powerful sound kicks in after 12 minutes. Oh my! A wall of sound really until it settles back before 13 minutes with vocal melodies and that earlier sound. Love the guitar that follows, then more vocal melodies and heaviness. Would love an album full of this material.

"Vanitas" opens with this repetitive guitar melody that I find so annoying as the drums pound away. It settles in just before a minute and some beautiful guitar melodies follow with atmosphere and drums. More powerful outbursts with vocal melodies before it settles again like before as contrasts continue. I like the electric guitar after 3 minutes and we get keys joining in as well this time. Intricate guitar before 5 minutes with drums followed by more of those powerful outbursts. Vocals kick in after 6 1/2 minutes along with plenty of power. There's that intricate guitar again. Some brief spacey synths before 8 minutes then more vocals. It's instrumental again after 9 minutes and it's powerful and intense. Then a calm arrives before 10 1/2 minutes with relaxed guitar then vocal melodies. It's like the song starts over again before 12 minutes. A calm ends it.

"Sepulchre" opens with drums and keys as the guitar joins in. Vocal melodies follow just before a minute. Great sound before 2 minutes with the bass and electric piano especially, then it turns heavy. Vocal melodies are back again after 7 minutes then it all picks up around 8 minutes. This is really good. Electric piano before 9 minutes then it settles late to end it. An excellent track but not quite as good as the opener.

I wish I was more into that second song... oh well, I really enjoy their style overall and highly recommend this to fans of experimental music and Zeuhl.