Digitonal - Save Your Light for Darker Days

by Jamie Rowland

published: 27 / 8 / 2008

Digitonal - Save Your Light for Darker Days

Label: Just Music
Format: CD

intro

Stunning autumnal-sounding ambience on second album from London electronica outfit Digitonal

London electronica outfit Digitonal, comprised of London-based producer and instrumentalist Andy Dobson, Egyptian session violinist Samy Bishai and new member, producer Josh Doherty, release their second full length record, 'Save Your Light For the Darker Days', on Just Music Records. Album opener ‘Ana Kata’ is like something from a movie soundtrack; it particularly reminds me, in parts at least, of Clint Mansell’s track ‘’Lux Aeterna’ from the 'Requiem For A Dream' original soundtrack – and that’s no bad thing, let me tell you! It doesn’t quite reach the dramatic heights of that particular piece of music (which is not a criticism – ambience is the watchword, here), but it’s pretty stirring, nonetheless, and a gripping introduction to the album as a whole. ‘Save Your Light for Darker Days’ will appeal to fans of electronica (obviously) but also to those who enjoy the dramatic soundscapes of the likes of Sigur Ros and Mogwai. In fact, the only reason I can think that you wouldn’t like this album is if you have an inescapable need for vocals, because you won’t find none here, friend. ‘Silver Poetry’ is a particular favourite track for me; it builds and builds from tentative strings and percussion into a soaring, blissful high, before slowly breaking back down to silence, piece by piece. I like a track that takes you on a journey, and this one takes you somewhere really nice, like Chessington, or the zoo. I really, really like this album, I think because it reminds me of Tortoise’s 2001 masterpiece, 'Standards', which is one of my favourite records. The other tracks I would point to as the best are ‘Nothing Left to Say’, of which the above comparison is most accurate, and ‘A Lighter Touch’, which has a really great, celebratory feel about it. Coming into the last third of the year, there’s nothing better to compliment the autumn period than a bit of ambient electro, and on that basis may I heartily recommend Digitonal’s 'Save Your Light for Darker Days' as the soundtrack to your September.

Track Listing:-

1 Ana Kara
2 Silver Poetry
3 Wide-eyed, Wrapped in Love
4 93 Years On
5 Nothing Left to Say
6 Emberkreiss
7 A Lighter Touch
8 Gone
9 After the First Death
10 The Beating of Her Heart

digital downloads

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reviews

Be Still My Bleeping Heart (2010)

Frequently clever, but also often bland instrumental electronica on compilation album from Digitonal, the project of London-based musician Andy Dobson