THE EVPATORIA REPORT

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THE EVPATORIA REPORT formed in 2002 in Yverdon-les-Bains located in the French speaking Vaud region of Switzerland. The band was active from 2002-2008 but broke up and then reformed in 2015 and is still together. This band consists of two guitarists (Laurent Quint, Simon Robert), one bassist (David Di Lorenzo), a drummer / glockenspiel player (Fabrice Berney) and another member (Daniel Bacsinszky) who double dips as a keyboardist and violinist. The moniker was adopted from the Crimean city of Yevpatoria which is where the radio telescope RT-70 P-2500 is located. The purpose of this large apparatus is to send messages into space.

The purpose of the band THE EVPATORIA REPORT however is to deliver a unique sound of post-rock that creates hypnotic polyrhythmic syncopated guitar riffs and layers them into ever increasing tempos while the bass and drums keep the melodic flow churning on. This eponymously titled EP debut only contained two tracks neither of which have been released on the band's two albums 'Golevka' or 'Maar.' The EP is only sixteen and a half minutes long but delivers a fine mix of guitar, bass and drum oriented post-rock with violin. As the references to space hint upon, this band is indeed spacey.

'Naptalan' is the simpler of the two tracks with a single guitar building up the melodic construct while a bass slower jumps in and then a drumbeat. This track reminds me a lot of the Mogwai playbook in that it slowly builds off of a guitar riff and adds ever increasing subtleties until a crescendo occurs minutes down the road. Unlike Mogwai, THE EVPATORIA REPORT likes to implement a more robust percussive display and a broader range of sounds as the guitar strums change it up as do the bass lines and drumming patterns. On this track there are very faint keyboard sounds in the background that add a bit of classical J.S. Bach baroque sounds to the mix.

'Voskhod Project' is the longer of the two tracks and starts with a jittery echoplex of guitars that usher in a boomy bass and strong cymbal action. This reminds me of some of the techniques used on the Buckethead Pikes but this band came first. This is the more bombastic of the two as it picks up the tempo and the guitars create super fast staccato polyrhythms while the drums and bass pound away. Heavy electric guitars also employ a distorted filthy rock feel but when the melancholic violin joins in the guitars slow down almost as if they're weeping. The track at nine and a half minutes long slowly builds but does it very well. This band is much more varied than Mogwai even though that band is the closest reference i can hear. Definitely one for the post-rockers who love more emotion pouring out of their speakers.

"Eighteen Robins Road" is almost haunting the way it slowly begins with plenty of atmosphere and very slowly played piano. The violin starts to sweep across the soundscape before 2 minutes then guitars arrive a minute later. Drums follow as the violin cries out. Bass before 4 minutes, this is really good. Of course it's been slowly building in the Post-Rock tradition. It's more powerful after 5 minutes then suddenly a calm before 6 1/2 minutes with keys and atmosphere. Violin is back at 8 1/2 minutes then the sound starts to slowly build again before 9 minutes. The music suddenly stops before 11 minutes as we hear a woman whispering about death as the atmosphere rolls in. It's like it then starts over before 12 minutes with bass, a beat and picked guitar. So uplifting, and then when the violin joins in it's so beautiful. It's building once more to a powerful sound late.

"Dar Now" is a top two for me. Guitar to start and it turns powerful quickly with distorted guitars, drums and more. I love when we get a calm around 1 1/2 minutes, beautiful stuff. Post-Rock guitars over top before 2 1/2 minutes. It settles back again after 3 minutes. A guitar melody takes over before 4 1/2 minutes then another guitar joins in. Drums, bass and then violin follow as it slowly builds. It settles back after 9 1/2 minutes but then kicks in with power a minute later. It starts to slow down 12 minutes in but the power is still there although that fades quickly. Sounds like a sample of a concert before 13 1/2 minutes to pretty much end it.

"Mithridate" is my other top two track. Picked guitar to start as bass arrives then some drums. This is sparse and atmospheric. It turns spacey before 2 1/2 minutes, almost FLOYD-like surprisingly. It calms right down after 4 minutes with spacey sounds. Some narration at 5 1/2 minutes then a beat kicks in with violin and more. The music is getting louder with more prominent bass before 7 minutes as the narration ends. This is powerful stuff. Screaming violin after 10 minutes. Nice.

"Acheron" ends it and it the longest track at 19 1/2 minutes. Strummed guitar to start. Violin just before a minute starts some mournful playing. It's building before it kicks in hard before 2 1/2 minutes with Post-Rock styled guitars over top. It settles back a minute later as sounds echo in atmosphere as drums continue. They stop as it slowly settles back, beautiful sound after 4 1/2 minutes. Picked guitar a minute later as it starts to build some. Bass and drums before 6 1/2 minutes then it kicks in heavily before 8 minutes. It starts to settle back before 11 minutes but it has a powerful atmosphere that pulses until fading away at 12 1/2 minutes as a lone guitar is picked. It picks up again after 16 minutes but not a whole lot before winding down late.

Post-Rock fans should be all over the two releases by this Swiss band. They did release an EP first which I haven't heard but the two studio albums are essential listening.

Evpatoria Report is a brilliant band. Their name originates from Yevpatoria, a Crimean city that has a parabolic antenna that sends signals into space that try to describe human life. This background puts everything this band creates into context beautifully.

Their music feels interstellar, putting you in the body of an astronaut as they float among the stars. It can be calming just as much as it is suspenseful while you sit in anticipation for the unknown. It is the flawlessness in how human this music sounds that makes this album so powerful. The songs are long, giving the music plenty of room to breathe and create tension and do with it as it pleases.

To prevent having this particular album mapped out, I want to just showcase a few songs: Taijin Kyofusho, C.S.S Logbook, and Dipole Experiment.

"Those who have Taijin Kyofusho are likely to be extremely embarrassed of themselves or displeasing to others when it comes to the functions of their bodies or their appearances. The symptoms of this disorder include avoiding social outings and activities, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, panic attacks, trembling, and feelings of dread and panic when around people." This song is a musical representation of this Japan-bound disorder. The song is a slow, saddening build up to a crushing explosion. Some strings are featured here, setting the grim mood. The drums are hard, yet simple, pulsing like a heartbeat. The guitars just shine as they progress from moody swells to ripping distortion. Beautifully constructed.

"C.S.S Logbook" continues the band's art of storytelling. Tasteful dynamics emphasize each second as you wait for where the music will take you next. Eventually the lone guitars usher in the drums, and the crescendo takes place. Gaining more and more momentum and tension the climax suddenly ends. A reference to the 2003 Columbia Space Shuttle disaster.

Finally, "Dipole Experiment" offers the listener a choir and string-dominated song. Beautiful echoes of the voices pair with some strings to create a pristine atmosphere. The music fades until the drums are finally introduced, bringing new life to "Dipole Experiment". We are then met with the crest of this wave - joining the choir, strings, drums, and distorted guitars into the single voice of The Evpatoria Report.

Golevka is one of the best examples of post-rock done right. Emotion-filled music told from instrumental storytelling. This album is certainly a journey, one that should be experienced by all interested in the genre. I honestly cannot find a single flaw, only praise for a stunning album.

Once again I took advantage of the internet facilities and downloaded this free EP, from a band previously unknown to me, but whose name caught my attention. They are The Evpatoria Report, a post-rock band from Switzerland that started the project almost ten years ago. Here we can notice that this musical genre has reached places that are not known for having these kinds of bands, but that is a proof of post-rock success.

So in 2003 they released their first EP, entitled "The Evpatoria Report" in which we can have a slice of their music, and a glimpse of their talent. This EP can be downloaded from their website, so as I did, I invite you to do it. With two songs and a total time of sixteen minutes, here you will surely have a good time.

"Naptalan" is a seven-minute track that starts slowly and little by little progresses. Guitars first, then drums and bass together began to create a strong track. The part where keyboards appear adds a new atmosphere and direction to the song. After four minutes there is another change with a kind of symphonic sound (due to keyboards), that opens the gates to the final explosion, and final part of the track. It is the heaviest sound, the softness is gone and now the music is emotional and explosive. You will like it.

"Voskhod Project" almost reaches the ten minutes, and it is my favourite out of these two tracks. It starts slow (once again), the structure and formula is practically the same, the difference here is the use of new elements such as violin and the diverse figures every 4/4 . The song may be repetitive for a couple of minutes, but later it turns heavier and gets the listener's attention. But well, it slows down and changes the mood and the atmosphere, now it has a mellow, nostalgic and beautiful sound, here is when the violin enters and gives new colors to the track. The song makes some other changes in time and tempo, but keeps the same structure. Pretty cool track!

My introduction of the band left me with a nice taste, so now I want to hear more of them. These two songs together make easily to the three-star rating, however, in my rating style I don't usually give more than two stars to less than 20 minutes albums.

Enjoy it!

"Prognoz" opens with atmosphere galore as different sounds come, go and hover. It kicks in heavily after 3 1/2 minutes then settles quickly with strings. Gentle guitar after 6 minutes. Beautiful section. Drums and bass join in after 7 minutes. This sounds so good. It kicks back in at 10 1/2 minutes. "Taijin Kyofusho" opens with the sound of a transmission between two parties and i'm sure one is in outer space. Gentle guitar joins in then strings and bass. Drums follow as it builds. Keys before 5 minutes. It settles a minute later yet it sounds urgent and it's building. Intense at 8 minutes. A calm 10 minutes in.

"Cosmic Call" opens with this repetitive guitar line. Strings then drums as it slowly builds. It settles before 4 1/2 minutes. The tempo picks up before 7 minutes then it kicks in. Settles once more and we get some spoken words 8 1/2 minutes in. "C.C.S. Logbook" opens with drums that fade out then guitar and drums take over. Great sound here and the tempo will shift throughout this tune. It stops abruptly to end it. "Optimal Region Selector" drifts along in a spacey manner. Drums 3 minutes in. Powerful sound before 5 minutes then it settles a minute later. It ends as it began. "Dipole Experiment" opens with strings as atmosphere rolls in and gets louder. Vocal melodies too. Emotional music right here.It stops at 5 1/2 minutes then atmosphere returns before we get a beat at 7 minutes with keys and strings. More vocal melodies follow. A moving track to say the least.

Easily 4 stars, and if your a Post-Rock fan it's essential listening.

Chronologically, THE EVPATORIA REPORT (and lesser-known bands like BRIGHT RED PAPER and DETWIIJE) were the first to bring violin to the forefront, as the leading instrument. I like what I heard on 'Golevka', but I can't stop thinking of YNDI HALDA in the same time - I mean, I like YNDIES a LOT more. It's not fair to compare, but TER's stuff seems to be less interesting, epics are mostly built on one melody/chord progression, and climaxes are too predictable and even a bit boring. I like the whole idea and the very fact that each one can choose a band to his own likings (X likes YNDI HALDA, Y prefers THE EVPATORIA REPORT, etc), besides TER have released their stuff before others (there's a self- released self-titled EP from 2003 available for free download from their site, grab it while you can!)...so I feel like this review mostly spins around my personal moan 'I like it, but I heard it from YH and liked their stuff even better!' As a conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend this album to everyone, especially to PA Post-Rock lovers (more reviewing, guys!). 3.5 stars!