Wednesday 3 February 2016

Echoes of Yul - The Healing


ECHOES OF YUL - THE HEALING
(September 25th, 2015, Zoharum, Tar Trail)

Mysterious, Polish one-man band Echoes of Yul released one of the most interesting ambient records last year - The Healing. The band was supposedly a two-piece on the self-titled debut, and the second album, Cold Ground. However it seems the mastermind behind this obscure project, Michal Sliwa, decided to venture alone through sonic landscapes on his third release. 

   The Healing is quite different from Echoes of Yul previous albums, and those, frankly, didn't impress me much. It was some kind of droney post-metal with occasional predictable stoner-ish riffs and not very inventive chord progressions. Atmosphere was there but nothing that would pull me very deep into the music. I had no need to go through them more than once or twice. But this time Michal took a very different direction which surprised me in a very, very positive way and I can safely say this might be one of my favourite ambient albums in some time.

   It is a dark ambient record in the vein of Lustmord, Bad Sector and Atrium Carceri, but it also has some ligther moments not unlike Biosphere and even Boards of Canada. But the approach to this kind of music and the overall atmosphere makes it a very unique and original album. The whole mood of The Healing is very Lynch-esque and could very well work as soundtrack for one of his movies. It's a very calming album, perfect for late night or rainy day listenings, while lying with closed eyes, emptying your mind and wandering through dark sonic expanses while the soothing sounds of The Healing quietly echo around you.   
 
   Pretty much everything on this album was done by Michal himself except for the mastering part which was done by the legendary James Plotkin

   The album is available on the band's bandcamp page in every format out there. Digital, CD, cassette, vinyl (released in February, 2016). 

   A big recommendation to all fans of soothing, atmospheric, unique and a bit weird music.  
  


-Luka

       

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