CHOIRS OF THE EYE

This debut album from Kayo Dot is a mixed set of compositions where I adore some while feel completely untouched by the others. The material on Choirs Of The Eye is split up into five pieces of music where all of these tracks might at first seem quite similar but once they get under your skin the nuances between them become very clear.

The opening composition simply titled Marathon is a gorgeous piece of work with precise balance hidden withing its 10 minute stream of sounds and beautiful atmospheric progression. It's difficult to describe these tracks on a more precise level and so I base my judgment here solely on the emotional factors that appear when I listen to this type of material. Trust me though when I say that this opening composition is a marvelous way to start this album since everything I love about this music is present on it.

While Marathon was a true gem of a composition it sets up a high standard for the rest of material to follow which in my case became somewhat of a problem. The second track titled A Pitcher Of Summer is the shortest of the bunch and it also plays as such. For me it almost feels like the band is trying to artificially re-create the pleasant flow that came so naturally on the previous piece and so it leaves me cold.

Up next is The Manifold Curiosity which is one of the two 14-minute compositions featured on this release and it plays a bit like a hit and miss for me. Its long acoustic build-up and the string section just doesn't work for me but I do enjoy the overall progression of the piece. At the end it still manages to leave an overall pleasant impression.

Wayfarer looses a lot of momentum due to those short abruptions which occur on a few occasions within the composition and so there isn't really a flow to even talk about. Luckily the concluding piece called The Antique manages to set the album back on track with its slow Post Rock build-up to the heavy dissonant section and the completely mesmerizing outro.

After reading some of the other reviews it became clear that this album's material appeals differently to each individual and I'm sure that any new listeners will find completely other favorite moments within this music. Having said that I definitely recommend this album as an introduction to Kayo Dot and their musical universal.

***** star songs: Marathon (10:14) The Antique (14:41)

**** star songs: The Manifold Curiosity (14:30)

*** star songs: A Pitcher Of Summer (5:50) Wayfarer (10:43)