ENO - -t
Sometimes the best musical talent comes in duos. The White Stripes, Winnebago Deal and The Black Keys are a few acts that immediately spring to mind. But out of the almost unexplored musical territory of Switzerland come the post rock duo of ENO with their latest album -t.
True to the progressive and expansive nature of the genre of post rock, the new album -t is a swirling cascade of sound that builds with layers upon layers of vast intrumentalized textures that create an almost droning effect (not a million miles away from Dylan Carlson's project Earth), that almost lulls you to an inner state of calm. This is music for the headphones in its purest form.
The danger of any ambient release is that it could near enough unwittingly fade into the background. Thankfully this doesn't happen at all here. Glistening guitar work combined with steady lo-fi drum patters makes this an organic release that captivates. It's light and airy in its disposition at times and cinematic and powerful like the great Sigur Ros and yet the dimensions keep opening up further and further with passages of piano and more opening up the album's consciousness like a lit-up sky at night. You are taken on one epic musical journey here and this is certainly an album that needs to be listened to in one long thought provoking session.
The musicianship by the duo of Ivo Munger and Christian Mikolasek is nothing short of stellar. The multi-member format used by their contemporaries is well and truly turned on its head and the output created is akin to almost any orchestra. Jaw-droppingly perfect and creating a dense soundtrack to the happiest of dreams, this an album that is an uplifting experience that brings you back down to earth as gently as it took you up. Showcasing that the most beautiful music can come from the most unlikely places, this is an album that well and truly does mystify beyond belief.