~

A very clear example of popularity not correlating with quality. This obscure Russian band released a debut with flawless sound engineering as well as consistent songwriting of the highest caliber.

That being said, you should be aware that the music is very accessible and has little relation to progressive rock. The music is instead heavily influenced by classical music. For starters, all band members have a higher education in classical music training. Also, the leading instruments include a grand piano and violins. Elements of pagan folk/new age, and contemporary music are intertwined with the classical songwriting.

The more energetic moments are fundamental in making this album dynamic and exciting, without breaking the gentle mood, even when crunchy electric guitars and driving motifs are present. That is an example of smart arrangements and sound engineering.

The gorgeous (and often multi-layered) vocals take a major presence in every song (and some of the intermissions) and elevate an already great album into a moving and highly relaxing listening experience. They generally are soft and airy yet blends really well with the harder- edged moments throughout the album.

Personal favorite moments: The quality is surprisingly consistent but I seem to be replaying Intermission 1/Inside, and Touching II the most often.

Final Rating: 4.5 stars and highly recommended to anyone who loves good melodies.

EDIT: changed to 5 stars, remastered version fixed a few minor flaws, improved sound quality, and enhanced arrangements even further.

~ is a refreshing stream of beautiful crossover/chamber rock/folk rock songs often interlinked by interludes/etudes called "~[intermissions]" (there are six not intcluding the two long breaks of silence amid the final 11m42sec 'song' "i.b.too" [8/10]). The often-piano-based songs showcase the wonderful, smooth, controlled, breathy voice of Marjana Syomkina--often on multiple tracks. The music most often reminds me of TORI AMOS when it is stripped down to just piano and voice (e.g. on "circles") and IONA when a full chamber rock band is accompanying Marjana (e.g. on "burn"). The voice most often sounds like IONA's JOANNA HOGG, though it does take on the classic TORI AMOS and even, sometimes, JANE SIBERRY/KATE BUSH-like stylings (e.g. on "weather changing," "~[intermission III]," and "would this be"). The full band interplay is exquisite--especially since there is invariably a stringed instrument or two or three in the mix--right up my alley for perfect prog (though I love woodwinds and accordians, too)! And keyboard payer Gleb Kolyadin's touch on the piano/keyboards reminds me tremendously of RENAISSANCE's master ivory tickler, JOHN TOUT.

Favorite songs: 1. "~[intermission I]" (2:48) (9/10); "inside" (4:16) (9/10); 3. "burn" (4:40) (10/10); 4. "circles" (3:19) (8/10); 5. "~[intermission II]" (0:52) (9/10); 6. "weather changing" (3:05) (9/10); 9. "touching II" (4:04) (10/10); 11. "monsters" (3:59) (8/10); 12. "serenade" (2:28) (10/10); 13. "~ [intermission V]" (0:55) (9/10); 15. "~[intermission VI]" (1:46) (9/10), and; the musical parts of 16. "i.b.too" especially the sublime final three minutes.

For lovers of clean, clear, crisp, dynamic folk/chamber music in the tradition of IONA, TORI AMOS, KATE BUSH, JANE SIBERRY, RENAISSANCE or ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN.

4.5 stars rated up for amazingly consistent high quality in composition, performance and production. The only "flaw," IMHO--and this should fuel them for the future--is that the band might have stretched themselves even further. I hope they will be around for a long time for I, for one, will be an avid follower.

I'm in a busy period. I downloaded the album when the band was suggested for inclusion and I have forgotten it after a while. Then I've seen it mentioned by a reviewer as one of the best albums of 2012 so I went back to it.

I've been immediately hit by the female vocals. Initially they reminded me of bands like After Crying, also thanks to the excellent piano which follows the initial choir, but this is a different thing: the classical influence is strong but the vocalist adds a folky touch to music that's peaceful and relaxing but has a dark low-layer.

The feeling is very well represented by the album cover. The sea is dark and it rains, but there's not a storm. Even in this conditions watching the sea can relax.

The piano is the main element in all the tracks. When the ensemble plays in its entirety the musicianship of all the elements is clear. The third track "Burn" features an excellent violin. The vocalist sometimes makes me think to Christina Boothe of Magenta, sometimes to Sally Oldfield and even to Heather Findlay.

Another remarkable thing is the strings arrangement. The fusion between the strings and the traditional "rock" instruments is effectively a fusion. All the elements are well integrated.

But the best chracteristic of the album is in my opinion its "progression". If you let your attention to be captured, it's like reading one of those books that you can't stop reading until they are finished. I don't know if there's a concept, I haven't followed the lyrics, but the songs give the impression of a story to follow.

Together with Distorted Harmony I think this is the best debut album of 2012 and iìm giving it the same number of stars. I'm only regretting to have waited so long before giving it the attention it deserves.

This deliciously innovative debut release from iamthemorning finds the band presenting a distinctive sound to the world. It reminds me attempt to produce material with symphonic prog sensibilities without resorting to the symphonic prog conventions of the classic 1970s era, instead adopting a gentler sound focused around acoustic instruments and Marjana Syomkina's gorgeous vocals. Imagine what would happen if a group of classically trained musicians with prog inclinations got really into Kate Bush's sound on Hounds of Love, stripped out the samples and electronic effects, upped the classical content and then extrapolated from that, and you're in the sort of ballpark these guys are playing in. The album can be downloaded from their official Bandcamp site in your choice of electronic format at a price you personally select (even free, if you like), so there's little reason not to sample this unique act.

I kind of felt compelled to listen to this album after seeing it at the top of the 2012 list. Besides that, it's free; so you basically must give it a shot. That said, I've seen many great reviews for iamthemorning's debut album entitled "~". That title is quite appropriate, but I'm not even sure why.

The music is certainly very muted and even indescribable. It has a neo-prog feel, as well as a bit of prog folk. This combination is very pleasing to the ears, and it is does remind me a bit of the excellent bands Introitus and Frequency Drift. The eclectic array of musicians rarely do anything overtly complex, but they do play excellently. There are, however, some rather amazing moments that really blew me away. "Touching II", for instance, really sucked in my attention. The fantastic violin work and the soft vocals really score highly. Speaking of vocals, the female vox are outstanding, and very delicate. Again, she does remind me of the Frequency Drift singer---that is not a bad thing at all. Also, I must comment on the lyrics. The lyrics are highly abstract and amazingly well written. They claim inspiration from Maynard of A Perfect Circle (amazing band), and it definitely shows.

Overall, iamthemorning's debut is quite outstanding. It is delicate and beautiful like a watercolor painting, and it requires a step back mentally in order really to appreciate the abstraction and pure beauty. Is this album of the year? I don't think so, but it is certainly deserving of a spot somewhere in the best of 2012.

Iamthemorning's debut album '~' is a genuine surprise package opening on 'Intermission I' with multilayered female vocals that translate beauty into a cosmic realm, enhanced by captivating piano. Eventually a backswept slice of sound merges to 'Inside' with an angelic solo vocal by Marjana Syomkina and minimalist piano by Gleb Kolyadin, very raw and intimate. There is something disquieting in the dissonant melody, but the beauty transfixes as a gorgeous violin chimes in. then a viola is played and some very grandiose piano hammering stabs of staccato blemishes. The soundscape builds into a Magma like chant, though always English, and then it breaks again with piano and violin cascading over the organic textures.

The piano work is master class from Gleb Kolyadin and continues to dominate on the following track 'Burn'. This has a heavier feel, more accessible but no less brilliant in structure, especially the way the violins caress the tempos with their own time signatures. The classically trained musicians have a dynamic unity with highly original styles and the vocal is the icing on the cake. There is no getting away from the incredible piano but those violins, cellos and violas are absolutely exquisite.

'Circles' has a simpler structure, almost like a Kate Bush composition, with melodic high register vocals and strings over classical piano. 'Intermission II' is a short cello and piano piece then the heavier piano motif follows on 'Weather Changing' with more of those haunting ghostly vocals. The sound is almost Enya like or at the least Celtic, especially with those violin embellishments.

'Intermission III' is very high vocal reverberations chanting a mantra with piano foundations, soon followed by 'Scotland' that sounds more like a song one might hear on an alternative radio station. Then a plucking string melody opens 'Touching II' though I haven't heard part 1. I really like Marjana's vocals on this again like Kate Bush meets Enya. The atmosphere is rather dark with that reverberating cello plucking sounding out. When the slicing violin sounds enter it resonates nicely and draws me in even deeper. This is very intense unsettling music with a symphonic beauty.

'Intermission IV' has piano layers and a zither sound with odd Oriental nuances. 'Monsters' has a stronger beat that is easy to latch onto, and the vocals are powerhouse along with a tense layer of serrated strings. The lead guitar played by Evgeniy Abzalov is heavy with feedback loops especially the ending.

'Serenade' is a shorter song overlaid with discordant pianos battling it out with a string foundation and effervescent vocals. 'Intermission V' sounds like a tuning up session as two separate tunes are played by piano and violin though it sounds inviting enough as a break. Then the chords of 'Would This Be' strike up, a heavy piano melody. The vocals are mixed to the front lending an intimate setting. The percussion is effective utilising wire brushes to maintain a complex rhythm. The lyrics are about dealing with the pain of brokenness; "I can feel the rain coming down, I can feel the shame, the rain that keeps coming down,

Another 'Intermission VI' breaks the songs with multilayered sparkling vocal harmonies until we get to the final and more progressive piece 'I.B.Too' clocking 11:41. This opens with piano and piercing breathy vocals; "I used to believe in you", Marjana croons, and then the song builds into a heavy distorted guitar riff, and some grand string sections. This is the most progressive song on the album, and includes an extended instrumental section with some sporadic drums and strings. Another Intermission is followed by 'Afis' with footsteps walking till we come to a pretty piano melody played so beautifully and Marjana chiming through with her crystalline vocals. The seagulls and waves bookend the opening of the album.

Overall iamthemorning have created something very special here, so exquisitely beautiful and classical it bears no resemblance to anything else I have heard and therefore exudes an original aroma, so needed these days in the music history. No complaints in the prog department either as it has some odd flavours, and is intriguing enough to stand out among the other Crossover acts on offer. A pleasant surprise, and one album to revere by a band who dares to be different.

Russian band IAMTHEMORNING was formed in 2010, and appears to revolve around the talents of creative duo of Marjana Syomkina and Gleb Kolyadin. Their self described "acoustic/chamber progressive" music found its initial outlet in 2012 with the release of their digitally self released debut album "~", - or "Tilde" if you like, as that is the name of that specific symbol. In 2013 this production was released on CD through the German label Beste Unterhaltung Records.

Russian band iamthemorning has made itself a debut album they can be proud of. Beautiful female lead vocals courtesy of Marjana Syomkina supplemented by equally beautiful piano textures by Gleb Kolyadin, supported by classically oriented string arrangements and occasional rock oriented sections with bass, drums and guitars adding their distinctly contrasting features to this otherwise classically oriented landscape. I'd suggest that fans of artists like Kate Bush and Bel Canto might want to inspect this album, especially those amongst them who also have a taste for classical music in general and chamber music in particular.

One of those days, I saw on Facebook a friend posted a link to his girl in which Touching by iamthemorning was being featured, the name of the band caught my attention, so I clicked on it, and later, I loved the song and wanted to discover more from them. So here I am, after some months listening to this band from Russia whose music actually is far from being progressive rock, but it does have some connections. Its debut self-titled album was released in 2012, but it was re-released one year later with 18 total songs. Though the band has just two official members, of course the music is performed with the help of other studied musicians.

The music offered here is closer to classical music, with a beautiful female voice and a very clean sound that allow the cleverly composed tracks shine more. It opens with "Intermission I" in which the sound of birds and a beach appear as background, then female vocals enter seconds later with repetitive phrases, then they vanish and a piano appears, playing in a truly classical way. It leads to "Inside" which shows its charm and beauty since the very first seconds, the formula is the same, female vocals and piano as main instruments, though some other ones are added here and there, producing a neo- classical style with the help of the different strings. After a couple of minutes the intensity increases a little bit, and a new structure is formed now, with a kind of mid-east sound that makes the music progress, though this was only a brief passage because it calms down and returns to its original form. If you liked these first two tracks, then you will love the album, otherwise, I think this may not be for you.

"Burn" lasts 4:40 and it is the longest track here, so you will not find epics, not at all, what you will find is a bunch of short songs that form one entity, well crafted tracks that give as a result one great final product. This song is wonderful, there is a bass on it making the rhyhm along with drums, but piano and other strings make a terrific work, always accompanied by the beautiful voice or Marjana Semkina. The music is great, I love the complexity of its structure, I love the changes and that post-rockish feeling that lies on it. This is one of my favorite songs here.

"Circles" is another wonderful track, not as emotional as the previous, but it also has its charm, so when one start listening to it, it is impossible not to feel touched by it, and at the same time, feel a strange but deep calm. "Intermission II" is a one minute instrumental track in a classical vein, with piano and cello creating a disarming sound. It leads to "Water Changing" whose sound is more oriented to the folk side of iamthemorning. This offers new elements, new textures that renew themselves in the same album, so it is healthy for the listener because the music is not stuck in a pigeonhole, it does change and shows different paths. A new one minute piece appears with "Intermission III" but this time it adds Marjana's vocals, beautiful as usual. Now it's time for "Scotland" which is another sensational piece that perfectly fits in with the band's style, here drums again add its rhythm while piano and strings produce a stronger and more emotional sound that later becomes rockier for the first time in the album. So it is a very good combination of classical music and soft rock, I repeat, that rockier touch appears only for some seconds.

And the one that caught my attention comes next, "Touching II" which is a truly beautiful piece that has the delicacy and charm of the voice, and the challenging and energy of the strings. I love this song, it might be catchy, but it is very well crafted, it starts slow and little by little progresses, adding new elements until it reaches a climax and the strings produce a heavier, terrific passage. It remains as my favorite piece. "Intermission IV" appears immediately after Touching, it is just a piano driven piece that leads to "Monsters", whose rhythm makes the music catchier, which is another point on favor, because it keeps the neo-classical sound, meaning the music is not really fought with a catchy sound.

After the intensity and emotion created by Monsters, "Serenade" appears with a magical sound produced by acoustic guitar making a clean sound, and being accompanied by a fast piano and a wonderful delicate voice. "Intermission V" brings tranquility to us with that amazing violin sound that creates beautiful images. "Would this be" simply continues with that great blend of classical style with folk highlighted by a beautiful female voice, and of course some rock hints in brief moments, like in the last emotional minute of this track.

"Intermission VI" is the longest intermission piece I think, you know, a brief pause, a shorter track, beautiful instrumentation and warm and calm vocals on it. This collection of short pieces is simply wonderful. "i.b.too." is the last "long" song of this album (I mean, over 4 minutes song). It starts much calmer than others, only with vocals and piano at least in the first minute, because later drums, bass and some other instruments complementing in a charming way this nice track, which all of a sudden becomes more aggressive, more passionate, and in consequence, much better. This may be an example of why iamthemorning is often labeled in the prog rock scene. This song is actually a killer, one of the best without a doubt.

The final couple is "Intermission VII" and "Afis". The first one of course is the shorter one, a beautiful piano driven piece that puts some tranquility on me. While the second one produces some melancholy, I sense a goodbye here, and it is, iamthemorning finishes a wonderful album with this beautiful piece, which as the other ones, gives charm, magic, and purify our souls. This may be a therapeutic album if you need an hour of tranquility and beauty, so please give it a chance, you can listen to it through their Bandcamp site.

I love this album, which has to my ears and soul all the positive adjectives I can mention, however I am not sure if this can be considered a progressive rock masterpiece, though musically speaking is simply superb, it flows perfectly and has no lowlights. Anyway, I will give it 5 stars, I love and enjoy it every single time I listen to it, and I hope you do.

Enjoy it!

Somehow I totally managed to miss the debut album by this Russian duo, and I first saw the name when reading a post by Second Life Syndrome on ProgArchives. A short while later he asked if I would mind reviewing their material, so I wandered over to Bandcamp and picked up "~", (I know the symbol is called a "tilde", so don't know if that is the name of the album or they just prefer the symbol). Anyway, this is a Russian duo of Gleb Kolyadin (piano, keyboards) and Marjana Semkina (vocals, backing vocals) along with some additional musicians, and after releasing this in April 2012 they revisited it and remastered it and then reissued it at the end of that year, and it is available both on CD or through Bandcamp (name your price).

There seriously just one word that fits this album, and that is "beautiful". Marjana has a fragile delicate voice that at times reminds me of Kate Bush, while Gleb has a wonderful touch on piano, and often these two are the main source of all the music. They do use other guests effectively, particularly with strings, and although there are also electric guitars and percussion these are used very sparingly indeed. Apparently they describe themselves as "a neo-classical vocal indie band... that ...combine non-typical but easily perceived vocal parts of progressive rock with a distinctly classical musical approach", but I prefer just to think of it as majestic and powerful, yet fragile and delicate at the same time. It is possible that this is one of the finest albums by a band you have never heard of, although if you ever check out the top 100 lists by year on ProgArchives then you may have come across these already, as they are currently sat at #2 for 2012. That puts them ahead of most of the Top 10, so they are above Motorpsycho, Big Big Train, Echolyn, The Tea Club, The Flower Kings, Magma, Silhouette and 3RDegree!

Overall this is an incredibly impressive debut, full of grace, full of beauty, and is absolutely essential.

If you wonder what might have happened to the RENAISSANCE song "The Sisters" after John Tout's chimeric piano intro if it had not chosen the Spanish folk song door that time around, IAMTHEMORNING's debut might sew up that 35 year old needling obsession. I'm speaking of mere inspiration, as this duo and their mostly string heavy guests focus on more of a succinct chamber style, an intimate but highly charismatic sound. Marjana Semkina's vocals and Gleb Kolyadin's acoustic piano are the focus, which assure continuity even amongst the very occasional electric guitar outbursts and vivacious violin, viola and cello.

More contemporary comparisons would be a more forthright KATE BUSH, a less compressed and claustrophobic KARNATAKA, a less eerie WHITE WILLOW, a less new age oriented NIGHTNOISE, or even a more Nordic CORDE OBLIQUE, pleasant company indeed. This is a release that could find, if not mass appeal, fans among those who might be more or less indifferent to the aforementioned.

Punctuated by curt "Intermission" tracks numbered from I to VII, curiously not all of which are instrumental, and almost as ephemeral songs, this debut manages to blend both artfully, while interspersing a few relatively aggressive excursions, "Scotland", "Monsters" and "I.B. Too". I note that the melody to the plucky "Weather Changing" is more than a smidgeon like that of "Between the Rooms" by German symphonic band ANYONE's DAUGHTER, which was one of those "I need to figure out whom this remind me of" moments! Other favourites are the oddly named "Touching II", perhaps because its predecessor didn't make the cut and they forgot to renumber it; and the catchy "Serenade".

At this point I don't know how many readers who would love this band haven't heard them yet, as I know I'm rather late to the party. It's sometimes hard to sit down and write about a modern act when all I want to do is bask in its bloom. But it never hurts to give them a bump up and to reaffirm that, if gentle piano and female vocals in a folk meets classical style is a description that you fancy, do give IAMTHEMORNING the time of day.