THE BLIND SPOT

I've got to know this ensemble a couple of years ago, while surfing at Cuneiform records website. And now they are on the archives, that's nice. The first impression that one can get from this music, is the refined sung melodies, and the accordion dominant sound and playing by Alec himself. Next, one can discover the other accompanied melodies supplied by an interesting instrumentation that contains acoustic bass, horn, some violins, drums and percussion, and more. This specific album is divided to short songs, many of them got an accordion repeating pattern that makes the song basis. It's got a minimalistic feel, not far from monotonous. However the middle section of the album is a nice twist, the atmosphere and the sound changed a bit to a more percussive background. My favorite songs come from that part toward the end, and include 'the Radiator hymn', 'the Burning hand', 'the Flesh of the drums' and 'Rising'. Female vocals are dominant here compare to the other songs, and the singers Ellen Santaniello, Orion Rigel Dommisse and Laura Gulley create some beautiful vocal lines. Sometimes they make the lead vocals, and sometimes canonize and make counterpoints to lead vocalist Alec Redfearn. Alec voice is less qualified than the female vocalists, and quite noodling and monotonous in my opinion. In fact he is more of a song-presenter than a true vocalist.

Another thing very worth mentioning is the excellent electronic work made by Frank Difficult, using various devices and electronic loops. There is a very good balance between the songs, and the few electronic passages. The album is ended by such a passage with some ambient sounds, in a hidden track.

In additions to the merits, I'll mention the sound and production, and the very good flow, which provide a true 'album treatment' and a good taste that will remain in your ears long after listening.