MOSKAU

the first track is powerful but with a slow tempo. A distorted guitar chord accompanies the first two minutes of the track making it sound noisy, similar to what Senmuth does on his most industrial oriented albums. However, the overall sensation is of a quite avant piece. More "melodic" and structured than some pure RIO/avant bands, it sounds to me like a more approachable kind of Kayo Dot. Very enjoyable if you like the genre. I get my listening pleasure from catching the structure and the melodies which are hidden behind the noise. As usual the atmosphere is quite dark, like some horror-based flash-based pc-games. Probably an ideal soundtrack. The last two minutes based on keyboards and slow drums are remarkable as it's totally different from the rest of the track, but the transition is so smooth that I can't say when it really begins.

Track 2 is similar in the signature, or better, is almost identical to the first part of the first track, but there is a clear sequence of chords which with a different arrangements could have been I don't say "radio-friendly", but surely not challenging. The characteristic of this track is to be totally guitar-driven even if the first "solo" comes after 3:30 minutes, before that it's just chords. More Maudlin Of The Well than Kayo Dot. The central part of the track is almost melodic and not very dark, specially when the second guitar solo arrives following a sequence of major chords. Some passages sound more discordant and again my mind goes to Senmuth. Also on this track the last minute is different from all the rest, with an acoustic harping and what seems to be a reverse playback of a recorded guitar.

Track 3 appears even more melodic. It's opened by a series of legatos with the drums reminding to Post Rock bands like "From Monument to Masses", but after 1:30 minutes the first metal of the album comes, at least in the heavy sounds used, specially the guitar. It's just one minute, then it's dark ambient. When the track becomes more rhythmic and darker I think it's what you have to expect when going for "Experimental/Post Metal".

Track 4 is the shortest one. It starts very noisy and Avant and is the most challenging even being the only one with lyrics. It's a pity that Christian's vocal capabilities are hidden behind the noise. He demonstrates to be capable of a big vocal extension. His bass notes sound darker than a growl but the vocals are in the background, like the production choice of Dan Britton for his "All Over Everywhere" project. A five minutes song with a melodic closure...well, probably I'm becoming too used to avant so that this appears to me as melodic...

It's a short album, just a bit more than half a hour freely downloadable from Christian Kolf's website, and I think it deserves to be downloaded. Three very solid stars

Moskau II (exists a Moskau III but not a Moskau I) is opened by "Eraser" that's a very noisy track borderline with Avant Rock and Industrial Metal but contains a melodic part hidden behind the heavy drums, the growl and the industrial noise. However there's something in this track that reminds me to Kayo Dot.

"Angst" proceeds on the same line. Heavy distorted guitar is the leading instrument on this experimental track. There aren't big dissonances even in the most noisy part (close to the final). The following track "We Kill" is an ideal follow-up as the slow tempo works as a counterpart to the preceeding track. Listening carefully we can appreciate the structure and the melodic line. This song with a different arrangement could have been even radio- friendly. Try to imagine it without the distortion, with a deep bass and clean vocals. This long track seems like a song written for a different project but arranged in a way that fits in this one.

"Whatever Is Dead" is based on acoustic guitar on a dark sequence of chords with dark vocals. The first artist that comes to my mind is Syd Barrett after Pink Floyd, but also Radiohead are a good reference.

"Psylocibe Horse"'s intro makes me think to Joy Division, for both the darkness and the melody. There's a lot of 80s inside this very enjoyable track. It has also a short bass interlude. following, there's "Grey Morning Again", that's one of the most experimental tracks. It features noise, semi-clean singing and a lot of distortion providing the noisy environment.

A loop followed by drone drumming opens "You Don't Exist". When the voice repeats the title, the music behind reminds a bit to Senmuth, but without the usual middle eastern influences, then, after a couple of minutes it changes radically and a bit of middle East seems to stay also here.

"Remembering Winterdays", after a nice instrumental intro stops and the three chords on which the initial part is based is replaced by a slow drumming with guitar and voice (not properly growl). This part could have been given to Robert Wyatt. I hear his influence in the melody and even in the vocals. Surely the best album's track. Close to ts end it becomes more melodic. but still suitable for Wyatt.

"Desto" is the last track but also the longest. Noisy for all its duration it has no drums and has a very strong dark ambient flavor. Borderline with progressive electronic it's my second fave track here.

Nothing essentially new in this album that fits well in the three stars definition. A good one in any case.

Christian Kolf's first Moskau album is an ecletic mix of Radiohead like pop and the darkest hell like doom. The downtuned guitars sometimes reminds me about black metal. But My Dying Bride is the best reference. So is Type O Negative and perhaps a lot of the other modern post and experiemental metal bands. I am pretty new to this scene and do not have many references here.

The result is a good album which mixes harsh industrial soundscapes, laid down by the bass, with some very warm and lush soundscapes. This album has a lot of the latter ones, actually. That to my surprise. The vocals is also very good.

I am surprised, positive surprised by this album. It is a free download too and well worth checking out. It is not a great album in my view. But I believe some of you would really love this album. Hence my recommondation.

3.5 stars