Vector Lovers - Afterglow

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 9 / 11 / 2007

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Minimalistic house music owes much to experimental electronic music from Germany from the 1970's and Vector Lovers fit this stereotype, but yet not quite. The tracks on 'Afterglow' remind (me) of ballads and folk music, even when none or few of the instruments remind me of these. The album's anthemic and epic nature has a storytelling atmospheric and follows regular patterns. Whilst 'Afterglow' inherited the echoing and resonance of the compositions from the period before World War 2, at times it recalls Eric Satie in 'Piano Dust'. It also has this wide open road feel that made guitar bands like The Triffids and Big Country gain a big audience. 'Afterglow' takes a few odd turns and the vocals on a few tracks come as a big surprise. In contrast to many DJ producers who have failed as singers, Martin Wheeler is aware of his limits and the few vocal contributions do work to full effect. The album builds up to 'Crash Premonition' but by then, it has become all a little too obvious and, alas, a bit pompous too. Unlike his vocals, the music actually ruins this track. The next track 'Dust Panorama' puts the album back on track and it persues on course with bumpy atmospherics and vapours of electronica as if transported over a smothering forest fire. Grinding to a halt, the temptation of mystery returns in the wonderfully abstract 'Long Wave'. The very subtle glitches in the closing title track in a sense marks the end an era. 'Afterglow' could be filed under 'New Age music' yet it borrows concepts and sounds from traditional styles. The album includes tracks that would not seem out of place on a Radio 2 or 6Music playlist. This should sound wonderful on a train ride or whilst driving down the motorway.

Track Listing:-

1 Half-Life
2 Far Side of the Tracks
3 Last Day of Winter
4 Hush Now
5 Rusting Cars & Wild Flowers (2011 Remaster)
6 A Field
7 Piano Dust
8 Endless Summer
9 Lost the High
10 Crash Premonition
11 Dusk Panorama
12 Long Wave
13 Afterglow

Label Links:-

http://www.somarecords.com/
http://www.slam-djs.com/
https://twitter.com/SomaRecords
https://www.youtube.com/user/officialsomarecords
https://www.facebook.com/SomaRecords/

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