Ulver "Perdition City [Music to an Interior Film]" Jester Records Trick 007 2000 (53:37)
Lost
in moments (7:17)
Porn piece or the scars of cold kisses (7:09)
Hallways of always (6:35)
Tomorrow never knows (7:59)
The future sound of music (6:39)
We are the dead (3:41)
Dead
city centres (7:10)
Catalept (2:17)
Nowhere/catastrophe
(4:50)
Ulver continue to expand beyond and free themselves of
their metal roots with this, their 5th full length album, the subtitle
referencing an imaginary film that this music provides the soundtrack for.
The past few releases ("Themes
from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" and the "Metamorphosis"
EP, all on Oslo's Jester Records) have already proven their music to be
wide-ranging, elegantly produced and cinematic and epic in scope, but "Perdition
City" concentrates even further on subtle and dramatic intensity, atmosphere
and decay. Strains of John Zorn's "Naked City", Vangelis' "Blade
Runner" and John Barry soundtrack are present as emotive piano, strings,
saxophones, electronics and the sounds of the city permeate much of the
seamlessly flowing 53 minutes. The first few tracks open the album
with fluid juxtapositions of all the elements, including big live drums
and
passionate vocals (in English, a presence on about half
the album). "Hallway of Always" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" couple
distorted synth swirls with heavy, somewhat hip hop rhythms. "The
Future Sound of Music" drastically switches from quiet piano motif to a
full on bass and drums assault. "Dead City Centres" is the most outright
jazzy with a smoky swing and climactic narrative. And "Nowhere/Catastrophe"
closes the album as the most structured 'song' with a crushing vocoded
bass/synth chorus being the focal point. Superb. Ulver's music
is
genuine regardless of what genre they're dipping into
or what direction they choose to tread. Also included on the disc
is a near 4 minute mpg video clip for "Limbo Central (Theme from Perdition
City)" (from the preceding EP) full of Revelations quotes and treated car
ride visuals. Ulver will begin recording their new EP "Silence Teaches
You to Sing" soon ...
Where did I get this cd? - promo via Jester Records.