LUNATIC SOUL II

Lunatic Soul II is second release of Riverside bassist and vocalist Mariusz Duda solo project's. Debut album, released two years ago, had very similar cover art, just in black. So probably this release very soon will be known as " white album" ....

Duda plays many instruments there on this recording, but happily this is not one-man release! Between thousands of albums I listened during last three decades there are just a very few one-man albums of really great music!

Besides of Duda, two more musicians participated - his Riverside's colleague Maciej Szelenbaum (keyboards, flutes, quzheng) and Wawrzyniec Dramowicz (drums) from other Polish excellent band Indukti .

Music there (as on debut) is no way heavy prog or post-metal, as on many Riverside albums. Atmospheric,ambient sound with acoustic guitar, some percussion and keyboards on the back. This album is about atmosphere - music is very often minimalist and quite simple. Melancholic melodic down tempo compositions, sometimes almost modern ballades with clean vocals and modern arrangements.

You obviously can hear such elements on many Riverside recordings, just now this part is crystallized at its own right. And I believe it is possibly main ingredient, that made Riverside's music so unique and attractive for listeners all around the world. So - if you like it, you will enjoy in here on Lunatic Soul album even more. It will be difficult to describe what is it - ambient minimalistic atmosphere with characteristic Eastern European soulful melancholy. You can find very similar music on many David Sylvian albums though.

Not so strong or essential to be named masterpiece for sure, but this album really has its attractive moments and will be interesting for Mariusz Duda ,some Riverside fans and all lovers of melancholic atmospheric accessible ambient rock.

My rating is 3+, rounded to 4.