Robin Guthrie - Continental

  by Olga Sladeckova

published: 19 / 6 / 2006

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Review

It’s been over two years since Robin Guthrie, the former Cocteau Twins, released his first solo instrumental album ‘Imperial’. Now we are treated to his second solo record ‘Continental’. Originally I intended to describe some of the ten tracks of the album and to point out what caught my ears in particular, but I just couldn’t bring myself to leave anything out. Instead I will try, therefore, describing the whole ‘Continental’ experience without sectioning the music into separate tracks. Like ‘Imperial’, ‘Continental’ has the great ability to relocate its listener somewhere far away. It opens with the shivery but gentle tune of a guitar laid out with the drifting sounds of a keyboard. The tune builds higher, higher, higher until drums finally break it up into a vigorous stream of floating, ethereal sounds. After that you are drawn into darker surroundings. Guthrie's guitar and keyboards create a slightly gloomy atmosphere. You do, however, find the light at the end of the black tunnel as the album progresses. The music has been mostly very soft and gentle and all of the sudden there is an explosion of feedback right in the middle of it all. Towards the end of the album the keyboards get richer and colourful. It’s a bit like in the autumn when you know the year is almost over, but the leaves on trees start turning all sorts of colours and keeping the warmth in the air sending the nature to peaceful sleep. While all the ten tracks of ‘Continental’ evolve from each other the album certainly has no space left for predictability. ‘Continental’ is an album that deserves attention and radiates with creativity. It is powerful enough to fill your whole house with its presence and when it finishes leaves you feeling clear and fresh.

Track Listing:-

1 Continental
2 Conquering The Romantic
3 Crescent
4 Monument
5 Amphora
6 The Day Star
7 Radiance
8 As I Breathe
9 Last Exit
10 Pale