Fallen - Soft Skin, Eternal Verses
The second album I get to review (this year) with this nostalgic ambient-driven act from Italy. Soft Skin, Eternal Verses was performed and recorded back in 2016 and has now been released on cassette by Mahorka, a label based in Bulgaria. The cassette is sold out at Fallen´s official Bandcamp site, but it can still be purchased via Mahorka´s Bandcamp site! A limited 50 copies cassette with some really beautiful looking cover-artwork, would have loved it even more if the paper had some texture. 3 tracks on each side of the cassette, which is about 50+ minutes in total.
The first Echoes And Sin starts with an electronic humming sound, a slightly harsh and icy-sounding drone churns in the background while a crystal-like synth-melody lies on top of it. Beautiful and futuristic dreamy synths are also added as well. And then the melody starts with a deep synth and s simple rhythm. Piano, guitars, and church organs are also present. Kind of reminds me of Runes Order (not just as dark) and another Swedish dark-wave/ambient band called This Empty Flow. Exquisite synth-based ambient with a nostalgic retro feel here and there, I also have a gut feeling that fans of dungeon synth should check this out!
The second track Eyes Like Windows has a more ceremonial feel to it. With melancholic and looped synth keys and some very cool and rhythmic sound effects, Coil pops up in my mind here. A driven melody from above enters the stratosphere, leaving you bloody breathless!. Another great track here people!
The third (and last track) on the A-side is called No Love Is Sorrow. Kind of a haunted house of a ruin sort of intro-theme here. Slightly pleasant and slightly disturbing/eerie. The track brightens up with some rhythmic bass lines and an echoed pencil hitting metal. Almost a neo-classical feel here, not that far away from In The Nursery.
The fourth track Soft Skin, Eternal Verses has a kind of industrial touch in the beginning. Sounds like a blow torch with some creepy and skeletal sound effects. This gets replaced with a crystalized futuristic atmosphere with those cool church-organ synths and additional guitar work. Dramatic and intense structured ambient soundtrack material here, very well made!
The fifth track Shimmering is probably the most easy-listening-like track on the album. Maybe a bit too pleasant for my taste. A Bit too light and sensual if you compare this track with the former tracks. Light-weight ambient piano-pop/new-age music. Some experimental electronica moments save the track at the end though.
The sixth (and last track) New Beginning, sounds like an intro and an outro at the same time. It also gives the listener a kind of feeling, that you are listening to something which you have heard before on the album. It does remind me of a track here, not sure which.
A good and pleasing ambient-pop album with an experimental touch here and there. I do miss a kind of progression in the sound though, at times it does feel not your not actually getting anywhere, and then again, there are some moments on the album proving that otherwise. More edge, and just a bit more darkness also?
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