Serena Maneesh - #2: Abyss In B Minor

by Andrew Carver

published: 3 / 3 / 2010

Label: 4AD
Format: CD

Superb shoegaze on atmospheric second album from Serena Maneesh, the project of Norwegian musician Emil Nikolaisen

Review

One-man sonic alchemist Emil Nikolaisen is back with a follow up to his smash amalgamation of My Bloody Valentine and the Velvet Underground from 2005. Once again the twin towers of MBV and VU loom over the proceedings, but his songcraft has become a bit sharper, with all eight tracks staying relatively brisk. The opener 'Ayisha Abyss' is a nocturnal drum and bass number overlaid with ambient noise and drowsy, reverbed vocals buried deep in the mix. At almost eight minutes it's the longest tune, although a chunk of that is taken up by the atmospheric intro. He's back to his old tricks on 'I Just Want To See Your Face'. As dreamy a slice of buzz-pop as he's ever made, it'll tickle the fancy of Cocteau Twins fans with its sweetly blissed-out female vocals before it retreats to crunching guitar at the finale. 'Reprobate!' offers a similar repast. Nikolaisen fills the space between the songs with more atmospheric flutter before setting up some deep guitar grind to crunch along underneath the acoustic strumming and sleepy duet of 'Melody For Jaana'. The electric guitars get to duke it out on 'Blow Yr Brains In The Mountain Rain'; deadpan male vocals and a slight retro feel makes it sound a bit like a Brian Jonestown Massacre or Jesus and Mary Chain song (more so than the other ones, that is). 'Honey Jinx' rolls out a heavy backbeat and more tranquil vocals and layers of fuzz; it makes for a clever juxtaposition with ‘D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D.’ which features far more nimble percussion and buries its jangling guitars well under the ever-laidback singer. Things are stretched out past the six-minute mark on closer 'Magdalena (Symphony #8)', which once again keeps to the style set by 'Loveless'. The brisk album isn't quite as memorable as Serena Maneesh's debut, but should provide plenty of quality headphone time to shoegaze fans.

Track Listing:-

1 Ayisha Abyss
2 I Just Want To See Your Face
3 Reprobate!
4 Melody For Jaana
5 Blow Yr Brains In The Mourning Rain
6 Honeyjinx
7 D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D
8 Magdalena (Symphony #8)