Die Stadt Music
Fovea Hex : Neither Speak nor remain silent : one





"Bloom" (EP) (IR/UK,2006)****'
It's nice to hear how singer Clodagh Simonds after Mellow Candle didn't stop exploring, first in further collaborations, now cumulating and having transformed herself into this new group, Fovea Hex. The music reminded me only vaguely on the "Murder Ballads" by Alasdair Roberts (voice and electronica), but here all tensions and content is seeking the harmonious. Three tracks only for a 17 minute concept, but it is a perfect hearing which is also in time and concept nicely balanced. "Don't these Windows open ?" has a fundament of opening up and beautiful vocal subtonal harmonies (by Clodag Simons, Laura Sheeron and Brian Eno), becoming a chorus of wind with chime-like zither, after a voice sang "cry baby cry for your father, why don't these windows open ?" with more changing subtonanilities which are slightly sad-harmonious, like voices from the spirit of the lost voice of man like on a deserted field after battle, which is calm and peaceful now, but also after a saturation of a certain sad situation. The music works like a soundtrack from an inner vision, which is expressive on a human level, with the whole environment is sharing the thoughts in sounds. Recommended. I'm sure that people who liked some of the Pianomagic releases will find beauty here too.
Collaborators : Clodagh Simonds (former Mellow Candle singer, and some collaborations with Mike Oldfield on "Ommadawn") : voice, zither, harmonium, keyboards, Laura Sheeran (folk singer) with contributions from Brian Eno : harmonium, fretless base, voice and Roger Eno : harmonium (both brothers, but especially Brian are standards and launchers of the ambient genre ; Brian worked solo before, with early Roxy Music,..of which Apollo and filmmusic, and Cluster are amongst some of my favourites); Andrew McKenzie, (from experimental music group Hafler Trio of which "A thursty Fish" is amongst my favourites) : 12 strings and organic matter, and film composer Carter Burwell : disappeared piano.
(Limited edition of 2000 copies in embossed cover).
Die Stadt Music
Fovea Hex : Neither Speak nor remain silent : two






"Huge" (EP) (IR/UK,2006)****'
This second release can be considered as part 2 of a triligy of EP's of which part three isn't out yet. This set has something of a sad goodbye. Deserted spatial ambient sounds create the sphere for the main song "Huge" (the joy of trouble)". This instrumental part is the most important core, and still is rather dark in its content, which was on the first track partly limunated by glass sounds. "While you're away" is a soulful mourning conclusion, making this three piece concept almost like an inner Mass, trying to put an experience of grieve and loss, onto the perspective of a matured vision, that seems also to become responsible for the colour of expression of this vision. The inner calmness has grown to certain harmonies and a natural feeling in the sounds no matter from how dark tensions they started to form themselves.
Clodagh Simonds : voice, glass, treated voices ; Laura Sheeran : voice, Lydia Sasse : voice, Sarah McQuaid : voice, Roger Doyle (know Irish composer most known for his dark electronic music concept with words, Babel) : keyboards, harmonium, odd sounds, psalteries, chimes, keyboards ; Cora Venus Lunny : violins, viola, string arrangement ; Carter Burwell : shredded piano ; Brian Eno : keyboards ; Percey Jones (from former jazzrock band Brand X who had Phil Collins in early stage,..): subaquatic fretless bass ; Geoff Sample : marsh warbler and dipper field recordings ; Hugh O'Neill : trumpet ; Colin Potter (known electronic/exp.musician with solo works and long time collaborations with Nurse With Wound, Current 93, The Hafler Trio, Organum, Monos, ...) ; Paul Bradley: shifting, sieving, tricks of light.
(Limited edition of 2000 copies in embossed cover).
-After many listens I started to consider these mini cd's as 'classics'- Recommended !!