RSTW

'Rstw' - Senmuth (3/10)

Without a doubt to be Senmuth's most ambient and mellow effort among hundreds of albums by the Russian madman Valery Av, 'Rstw' shows many of the same signs of his ambient music, except for the fact that things here are much more minimalistic and less eventful than ever before. The resulting effect is something that could be better described as an 'atmospheric sleep' over any sort of engaging listening experience.

For the first three tracks, little can be said for sparing an Eastern drum rhythm that very steadily builds, very quietly pattering at the drums while some scarce soundscaping occurs. By the album's fourth track 'Teti Djed Sut', the listener (providing one is still awake) will start to hear some faster drum paces, and louder atmospherics, although nothing much has changed since 'Rstw' began.

Then, everything changes with 'Upuaut', which for the first time in the album, throws in some downtuned guitar distortion, which comes as a major wake-up call. Unfortunately, the possibility of dynamic here is marred by the same tired guitar lick being done to death. Luckily however, the album finally starts to build some real worth and listening quality until the ending of this painfully boring album.

While the rest of the album from post-midway to end begins feeling like a typical ethno- ambient album of Senmuth, 'Rstw' does spawn an unlikely highlight with 'Famine Stela', a rocky ambient piece that is easily the most haunting, dissonant and inventive thing on the album. Making use of high frequencies and ambient distortion over an exotic Middle- Eastern rhythm section, this might take a surprising investment to enjoy, but it is quite worth it.

With the rest of the album falling into the mediocre ambient work of Senmuth, there's little else to say, besides the comment that it is interesting to see such an intentional build-up throughout the first half of the album, although- as a result- it made the first half virtually unlikeable. A generally weak album with an interesting concept, and a handful of promising moments.

I've been really surprised by this album. Knowing in advance from a previous review that this is one of the "ambient" works of Senmuth, I went to listen to it with some expectations. The current rating was low but if you are expecting to listen to industrial metal and find this stuff you can be disappointed.

But here is the surprise: this is a mixture of psychedelia and krautrock. What comes to my mind is Amon Duul II, but with a relation to the pink period of Tangerine Dream. The lazy percussions over the tracks give the idea of the desert and in particular the few notes of acoustic guitar near to the end of "Netjerikhet's Collection" are able to change your state of mind. Few notes only but very "significant".

This album is like a journey. I can imagine it as a soundtrack to the HP Lovecraft's tale "The Nameless City". Somebody looking for ruins in the desert and finding a subterranean world of evil. In fact the music grows darker while proceeding. If the first two tracks are like just a journey, with Mokattam the tension goes higher, then "Teti Djet Sut" gives an idea of action.

The percussions are the main element. They are totally hypnotic and the difference between ethnic and spacey moment is given only by the instruments used.

The rhythm changes on "Upuaut" that's chaotic and noisy, but the percussions are still the most important element. Just to say, Upuaut is one of the many Egyptian Gods, the "Opener of the ways". Sticking on the song's titles it's look like we are looking for a passage in the Cairo's hill (Mokattam). This brings to the Island of Sehel in the Nilus, where stays the "Famine Stela". This is a very spacey track. Think to TD's Zeit. The percussions are no longer present. This is just space.

Unfortunately the spacey ambient doesn't last long. "Per Osr Neb Rstw", whatever it means, belongs to the usual ethno-industrial vein of Senmuth. Not bad itself, but the minimalistic approach of the previous tracks creates a mood that is brutally interrupted. Knowing the title's meaning could help, maybe.

The following track has a promising title: "Desertwinds" is evocative and restotres the sensations interrupted by the previous track. We are close to the end of the album, and if there's a concept behind, it's clear that the story is ending. This is the most melodic moment of the album and flows peacefully like the Nile's waters.

In this sense "Ta Mehu" (Lower Egypt) can have a sense. Sailing the Nile we are gone South, and this is the end of a psychedelic travel. I can define this last track as psychedelic.

Forget the industrial metal, this is a meditative journey and up to now the Senmuth's album that I've liked more. I have the tentation to rate it 5 stars but I have to think more about it.

4 stars by now with a possible edit in the future.