Album Details

• Artist: Gultskra Artikler/lanters
• Album: Berezka/monkey Lament
• Label: Other Eccentricities
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2008-11-28

A split disc meeting of the minds between Russian avant-folie Artikler and Britain's electronic-drone artists Lanterns featues three tracks apiece of shared cosmic moan. The result is surprisingly compatabile in terms of vision and sound.

"Berezka," Artikler's three tracks, are spacy and airy, almost anbient but even in the quiet, formless moments, a guitar is present, a drum, a horn, a vocal sample provide ground from which to expand into the ether. This is most effective on "Figase," though the same themes are present on "Pervie Gusli." Acoustic instrumentation on "Berezka Take 2" add the folk elements typical of his prior work, and also work well as Psychedelic  totems.

Lanters' two tracks on "Monket Lament" are more straightforward, guitar driven drone, but the duo manages to echo the ambient vista created by Artikler. "Snake Dance" is a huge environment, full of power and space within the deep drone. "Dir Tup" adds acoustic elements that echo "Berezka Take 2," creating an atmosphere that is again grounded in specific place but clearly expanding into the unknown.

This is a quick read, coming in at under a half hour, but "Berezka/Monkey Lament" is a solid, deep set that gives you a chance to sample two artists who are working apart, but chasing the same sonic rainbows. Limited to 500 copies.

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