CHASING AFTER SHADOWS... LIVING WITH THE GHOSTS

This album contains a lot of very pleasant atmospheric instrumental music--somewhere between the Ambient Music of HAROLD BUDD, BRIAN ENO, and DANIEL LANOIS and the instrumental shoegaze of ROBIN GUTHRIE (formerly of Cocteau Twins). Unfortunately, neither the individual songs nor the album as a whole contain enough variety, variance, or high points (even the usual build-build-crescendo-fade-[repeat] format typical to Post Rock/Math Rock is often nearly absent). Not until the fourth song, "Breathturn" (7/10) is there anything relatively fresh or interest piquing. The next, "In the Nothing of the Night," (7/10) feels like nine minutes of a slow candlelight processional through a graveyard. I think I kind of like it--or, at least, I would like this music to accompany me on a processional through a graveyard. "Andalusia" (7/10) belongs on 1983's "Apollo," "The Whole Catastrophe" (7/10) on ULVER's "Shadows of the Sun." With "The World We Knew as Children" (9/10) we finally hit some interesting--albeit familiar (as all Post/Math Rock becomes 'familiar' sounding)--combination of sounds and composition. Perseverance through the shoegaze start of "Dust in the Devil's Snow" (9/10) proves rewarding as some very nice melodies and emotions are conveyed by the band as a whole--though the sudden cut out and minute-long synth wash fadeout is a bit disappointing. "How Can I Make You Remember Me?" (8/10) could have been on "Plateaux of Mirror" or a 1990s JONN SERRIE album, while "You Lost the Starlight in Your Eyes" (7/10) has the ENO-DANIEL LANOIS--even with the cheesy Phil Collins-like vocals. "Something Other Than Remaining" (7/10) sounds so close to an early SIGUR RòS song that it could have been from "Ágætis Byrjun" or "( )". Unfortunately, it doesn't really go anywhere or say/do anything new.

A very pleasant, laid back, lush/aurally-rich atmospheric listening experience--one that brings the listener in enough to evoke many visuals and other nostalgic or fanciful sensuals. Well recorded and produced, composed and performed by a nicely integrated band. 3.5 stars marked down for the fact that it won't hit the spot for every one at every moment.

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to BrufordFreak
• Report this review (#507706)
• Buy HAMMOCK music online with PA partners
• Show all HAMMOCK MP3/Stream
• Go to HAMMOCK page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Chasing After Shadows... Living with the Ghosts page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for HAMMOCK related discussions