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Troum

Eald-Ge-Streon

Review by Gary Hill

This kind of ambient, mostly instrumental music can be great to listen to. It is not so great to try to write about – or even listen to intently. The changes are subtle and slow moving and there’s not any huge amount of contrast anywhere. That said, everything here is quite listenable and it should appeal to fans of Tangerine Dream and the like. The version reviewed here is a limited edition two disc set that comes in a classy cardboard gatefold sleeve.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009  Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Disc 1
Elation

Ambient and pretty, yet somehow a bit ominous, in a lot of ways this slow moving piece reminds me of the more atmospheric of Pink Floyd’s catalog. Comparisons to Tangerine Dream would also be warranted.

Usque Sumus Lux

In some ways this doesn’t vary a lot from what just transpired. That said, there is a more percussive texture here, moving between tribal and industrial elements. The music gets more powerful as it carries on and in some ways it resembles Hawkwind.

Eolet

Even more atmospheric, this one moves a little more slowly than a glacier. It has a hypnotic texture to be sure.

Ecstatic Forlorness

More percussive in nature, this is sort of like a combination of the last two tracks. Around the seven minute mark – this one is over nine minutes in length, some echoey vocals appear in the background and the track takes on some new elements, moving this disc into more dramatic territory.

Dhânu-H

This focuses more on the atmospheric, but there is a bit of choral air to this and in some ways it reminds me a bit of music from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Procession

A driving drum beat separates this from the pack. It’s got a lot more rhythm to it and is dramatic. There are echoey vocals distant, like heard at the back of a cave. This is one of the more unique pieces on show.

Crescere

The first section of this massive sixteen minute plus epic doesn’t vary a lot from what we’ve heard thus far. They bring in some backwards tracked sounds later, though – and this moves the number in some rather new directions. We’re not talking massive changes here, but more incremental, but still – it’s a change.  

Disc 2
Abhuñâ
Take the music of the first disc – subtract out the more rhythmic tracks. Now, stretch the whole thing out into a thirty three plus minute massive musical mélange. You have a really good idea of what this track is like.
 
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