Pram - The Moving Frontier

  by Mark Rowland

published: 12 / 10 / 2007

---

Review

‘The Empty Quarter’, the opener of 'The Moving Frontier', sounds like music from a Western, driven by organ and twangy guitar. This organic start is surprising, as Pram has spent well over ten years developing a reputation as an electronica band to be reckoned with. The minimal, vocal-led, chiming electronic sound of 'Salt and Sand' fits that idea of the band and 'Iske' offers more of the same, this time taking an instrumental, jazzy direction. These two tracks pretty much set the tone for the entire album; minimal, jazzy melody lines, electronic bleeps and occasional understated vocals from Rosie Cuckston, which vaguely brings to mind Young Marble Giants’ Alison Statton. The 14 tracks on offer here won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but fans of ambient electronica and modern, minimal jazz will get something out of it. The tone and pace of the album is reasonably constant throughout the album, with moments like ‘Hums Around Us’ standing out for their melodies (that track sounds particularly like the organ-led moments on the aforementioned Giants’ ‘Colossal Youth’ album’).

Track Listing:-

1 The Empty Quarter
2 Salt And Sand
3 Iske
4 The City Surveyor
5 Sundew
6 Salva
7 Moonminer
8 Hums Around Us
9 Metaluna
10 Beluga
11 Blind Tiger
12 Mariana Deep
13 Compass Rose
14 The Silk Road

Label Links:-

http://www.dominorecordco.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DominoRecordC
https://twitter.com/DominoRecordCo
https://www.youtube.com/user/DominoRec
https://plus.google.com/+DominoRecords