CD, Reverse Alignment, 2007
www.myspace.com/avskymusic
Norwegian music sometimes strikes me as warm, which is in general the opposite of Swedish music, which is colder. Take for example Biosphere, whose compositions are full and warm. Other examples are Svartsinn or Svarte Greiner, who are also a bit warmer than the average dark ambient project.
Without telling you the name of the man behind the project, simply because it is nowhere to be found on the Web, Avsky is Norwegian and his first album, “Silent Decay”, manages to create almost arctic atmospheres, yet still make them sound warm to a certain extent. Because of this the CD knows quite a nice duality (read: tension). Or perhaps this should be considered a schizoid defect?
It’s in the longer tracks (“Mutual Assured Depression” and “Dying Sun,” for example) where Avsky really reaches the point where you are lifted into another reality. But that is something that can be seen with many other artists: shorter tracks show the ability to manipulate sounds, while longer tracks show whether someone can change an aural perspective. An example of such a short track is “Low On Life,” which is really good, but finishes before you get a chance to dive right in.
The album concludes with the tracks “My Impending Personal Collapse” and “Dissolve.” These two tracks are made with a bit more field recordings than the others (though they are heavily manipulated), and the tracks actually best suit the title “Silent Decay”. The despair of nothingness is best expressed in these final moments of the album. You are left with a certain emptiness after listening to this album, and isn’t that the best compliment one can get?
[7.5/10]
— Bauke van der Wal