Ecailles de Lune is the second full-length album from Alcest. Alcest is a project formed by multi-instrumentalist Neige, emerging from the French black metal scene. Starting out as a black metal band, they have evolved into more shoegaze, although still having some strong black metal influences. Neige cites his inspiration as being from a sort of dream land, and wants his music to be a journey into his memories for the listener.
Ecailles de Lune is a story about a man leaving one world for another. His journey takes him into the sea, as one might imagine from seeing the album’s underwater artwork. The music evokes a lot of imagery related to the sea. The first song is like a plunge into the ocean, and a lot of the sounds echo as if they are heard underwater.
Neige’s vocals on this release are very enjoyable, as there is a contrast between clean vocals and shrieks. However, although the album’s mood is wavy and beautiful, the high-pitched shrieks don’t feel a bit out of place. Neige has a unique way of making even screams sound elegant. The clean vocals as well as the guitars are immersed in reverb, invoking a spatial atmosphere.
Alcest’s work overall is very atmospheric, and the last track is my personal favorite in this way. It is melancholy, slow, and contemplative, almost like he is calling back home and no one is answering. The echoed phrases here are almost like a reverberation of the entire album’s story. Neige’s vocals on this track especially are very much integrated into the rest of the music, and are treated as another instrument. The skilled blending of the instruments creates a unified world and experience as Neige invites us to travel into his own world.
Interesting review! Really made me want to check out this album. But I would try making the title catchier, and avoid writing in first person.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very well-written and well-researched review. You discussed several facets about the album, all with just enough detail to make each paragraph interesting. I have never heard of this band or artist, but now after reading this review I may have to check them out.
ReplyDeleteSuper informative and useful review for someone looking to see what this artist is all about, not a lot of opinion, obviously positive though so I think it's all good.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely want to check out this album now. I really like how you wrote "Neige has a unique way of making even screams sound elegant." Simple yet gives the reader an understanding of why the album should be heard. Also, you did a good job of ending the review.
ReplyDeleteVery appealing. You connected the story of the album to the ending of your review. It seems as though, the way you describe the album, that this album could be used as a mediation playlist. There were a few bits of information that I found unneccesar, but other than that I truly enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI like that you described how this album tells a story and the imagery that it creates. I would have liked it better if you have written about the songs that you specifically enjoyed off of this album.
ReplyDeleteI like how you explain the concept of the album to the reader. You were good at giving detail to make someone listen to the music especially to someone that has never heard of this band.
ReplyDeleteCool review. I don't know a lot about the artist, but I've been a big fan of that sort of shoe-gaze, stoner rock type sound that's been around a lot in the past few years so it's really interesting to hear you describe those sounds of "the guitars being immersed in reverb" the "melancholy, slow, and contemplative, almost like he is calling back home and no one is answering. The echoed phrases here are almost like a reverberation of the entire album’s story". I think that's probably a really fair and accurate description of the sound.
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