I haven't heard the last several releases from this highly prolific experimental noise project, but I can emphatically state that this is hands down the most mature and developed Luasa Raelon release that I've heard to date on all levels. As with the latest set of PACrec releases, the CD comes in a black and white slipcase with a matte finish, and the imagery is abstract and quite sinister, with minimal text on the cover, so it really does look very nice. But that's just the start. Musically speaking, there are five tracks, most topping eight to 10 minutes, of consistently flowing noise built around minimal ambient soundscapes, tactfully singed distortion, chilling atmospheric tendencies, and loose-knit industrial textures. "Years of Lead" opens and pulses along with hypnotic repetition, closing with a softly percussive rhythm that gradually fades to silence before introducing the brief "Forging New Alloys", which brings in some subtly melodic synth textures beneath distant wails of feedback, swirling electronic hums, and strange banging sounds that resonate in the background. "The Eye of Silence" continues in a less consistent direction with resonant low-end drones and layered midrange textures that cascade back and forth, in and out - using more movement and a less unrelenting delivery that comes off as slightly more improvisational. I'm not quite as moved by the initial 3/4 of the track, though admittedly the closing minutes get bleaker and more effective, which is a great close. "Harvest Time" sounds a little deeper and more resonant than some of the other pieces, with a lot of very unusual manipulated metallic scraping sorts of sounds, seeming to speed up and get more intense/sinister as it draws to a close in its final moments. "Binary Solutions" then ends things out with some glitchy electronic textures that are slightly more chaotic (though still somewhat sparse and restrained) over a semi consistent rhythm and soothing melodic tinges in the lower levels of the mix. The latter half of the track drops out some of the layering and adds more low-end for a much more menacing approach, keeping the slow, crawling pace for added impact. Nothing on the disc gets very in your face at all, though the recording is clear and enough of a tonal range is covered to allow for effective shifts in volume and dynamics throughout the compositions. I've not been disappointed by Luasa Raelon's work in the past, but this release definitely marks a step up for the project. There's a great cohesion to the CD and the atmospheres expressed in the music are finally met with a strong visual aesthetic, so I'm very much hoping that this is the road on which that progression will continue. There's no way this will let down anyone who's followed prior recordings from the group with even a minor level of attention. Good work.
[PACrec]
Running time - 43:26, Tracks: 5
[Notable tracks: Years of Lead, Binary Solutions]
Luasa Raelon - http://www.iheartnoise.com/luasaraelon/
