DARK PLANET

WHITEWATER is an English progressive rock band formed in 2013 by Stuart Stephens who is passionate about progressive rock. He composed with his sidekick Paul 10 tracks of pure icy and sidereal beauty in the sadcore movement with progressive strands injected by captivating piano notes; a great contemporary art of aesthetic music combining PINK FLOYD from the period "The Wall" for the phrasing with the more austere atmospheres of ORBITAL, of PINEAPPLE THIEF; for those who also love the soft musical chilliness of the great Leonard COHEN or the melancholic and atmospheric climates of ANATHEMA, read on: "Fallout" and an SF space intro with the ship passing behind your speakers, slow and melancholy with the most beautiful effect, it reminded me a little of the atmosphere of COMA ROSSI, the ultra low wave of the "Big Blue" of SERRA when the hero dives, enough to make your mouth water and injecting a delicately cold climate, relaxing intro and filled with hope or spleen, it depends. "Things That Can't Be Said" comes with Mike's signature rugged voice bringing a depressive, cold wave rock-like atmosphere; the dry guitar amplifies the ambience to a fruity airy guitar solo, pulling the notes high, high. "Dark Planet" with its piano notes pours into a cold melancholy and solemn melody and you have to wait halfway to have a much more cheerful, lively, joyful sound, soaring limit, a moment of introspective and ambient aerial music; it's simple, but it's beautiful and delicate. "Freefall" starts at a fairly slow tempo, minimal drums, low set back but which gives the rhythm well, monotonous voice a little on that of Roger Waters, here too it is the fat, enjoyable and fruity solo of Stuart which boosts the monophasic, hypnotic and nostalgic title. "Again" with cliché synth and piano goes straight into the grandiloquent; there is emotion in the slow air, echoing in the two-tone voice, a sign towards the first times where Lee returned the favor to Vincent from ANATHEMA, a Lana Del Rey tune in the masculine way sadcore; here it's raw emotion that is distilled gently, soporifically. "Stand In Line" begins the second side of the album, the air is more majestic, playful, delicate bringing the notes to the point of shaping a pure climate; fresher title therefore starting with an atmosphere à la ANATHEMA with an immense guitar solo, the ambient piano finishing to freeze you with bliss. "The 83" for the slightly jazzy instrumental interlude with the bass forward, a cold, austere, introspective, latent track. "Time To Move Along" returns with a slow track again, I can feel the imprint of Leonard Cohen, Stuart and Mike have beautiful voices, until the rise of the voice giving more intensity and solemnity; the melancholy piano is admirably assisted by Paul's keyboard layers to pour into the musical drama. "As You Were" is the longest and most progressive song, less sad piano letting the voice bring the air; the integration of this wooden piano that we had at three years old and which only distills three detuned notes, which makes you prick up your ears in front of so little sound until this enjoyable, orgasmic Gareth solo I would say and which magnifies the basic air of the beginning; attention the blank at the end of the title is still part of the song. "Everything (Up Till Now) for already the last title more oriented on the psychedelic titles of PINK FLOYD with again a solo to die for. It will take several listenings to immerse or soar into the world woven by Stuart and Paul and choose your listening moment, preferably by the fire while relaxing from a hard day's work. Intimate, refined atmospheric progressive music where each note is likely to make you vibrate; a true musical ode to travel and amplify its latent emotions, short but vibrant mid-tempo groove pieces where the succession of tracks will overwhelm you.An intimate album for long winter evenings to loop while reflecting on the madness of this planet dark that self-destructs.

Whitewater was formed in 2013 by Stuart Stephens (guitars, keyboards, bass, vocals) and Paul Powell (drums, percussion, programming) and here they have been joined by Mike Kershaw (vocals on 3 tracks), Gareth Cole (guitar on 4) and Clare Stephens (backing vocals on 1). This feels like an incredibly fractured album, as there are times when it is all comes together such as on the title cut which is an absolute delight, yet there are others where the drums are way too high in the mix and the vocals just don't work at all. "Freefall" is monotonous, and I would much have rather heard this as an ambient/New Age instrumental without the vocals. The guitar solo on this song is just right, a nice amount of distortion and cut through without ever being a shred, so one wonders what might have happed if this number had been treated quite differently.

I found myself thinking back to their last album, 'Universal Medium', which I enjoyed more as a whole, yet there are songs such as "Again" which are masterful. The vocals combined with piano and swirling keyboards are simply delightful, and if the whole album was like this then I know I would be raving over it far more than I am. The album is heavy on the atmospheric and laid back vibes, and there are undoubtedly some wonderful moments to be discovered, but overall this is one which needs to be played prior to purchase.