ENJOY ETERNAL BLISS

If this is an EP, then I must be related in some way to Erik, our famous member from Holland.

Consisting of four tracks ranging from 12 to 20 minutes, this 65 minute presentation outlasts, by a considerable margin, the majority of albums listed on this site. Admittedly the 20 minute track "A song for starlit beaches" was not included on the original version, but I shudder to think how long a full album by the band will be.

The music here is firmly rooted in the Post Rock of EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY and MOGWAI. What differentiates Yndi Halda though is the comparative diversity of the sounds and instruments used. In particular, the contribution of violinist Daniel Neal offers a pleasant distraction from the constant guitar riffs of many of Yndi Halda's peers.

As is the custom with post rock albums, the music builds from quiet passages to loud crescendos, the lead guitars taking over for such events. On the first track "Dash and blast" we even have, dare I say it, vocals. These are towards the end of the piece, and in the form of Hari Krishna like chanting.

There is generally a variety within the compositions which sets this album apart from many post rock recordings. While the repetition which defines the genre is very much present, the band to not tend to dwell on a single theme for protracted periods like so many post rock bands. "We flood empty lakes", moves through a number of connected but varied themes during its 12 or so minutes.

The 20 minute "A song for starlit beaches" features banjo and piano, both played by multi-instrumentalist James Vella, once again giving the track a different vitality. Neal's violin work at times give the piece a lush orchestrated atmosphere. The recording quality on this track is poor though, making the guitar work sound rather tinny.

The album closes with "Illuminate my heart, my darling!", a romantic title perhaps, but the track is very much business as usual.

If I have a criticism, it is my usual irritation with post rock relating to the overly phonetic drumming. Admittedly at times here it the drumming is quite adventurous, but there parts where I feel it is just too much a case of hitting everything in sight in time to the music.

In my view, repetitive music such as this has as much in common with trance as it does with prog. It is certainly a long way from the traditional prog of the 1970's, with little to relate it back to the classics of that period. Heard as an example of this fairly recent genre though, this is a fine effort.

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