Wednesday 22 July 2015

Dark Music Review – In Two Seas


Dark Music Review – In Two Seas

Written by Casey Douglass




In Two Seas is a split dark ambient album by Mario Grönnert and Mondfish. Mario Grönnert is an ambient musician from Germany who enjoys specialising in the ambient and drone subgenres by combining keyboard, piano and synthesizer sounds. Mondfish are a band project that was formed by Japanese musicians Kaetsu Takahashi and Yorihisa Taura. I must say that the music from the two artists sits very comfortably together on In Two Seas, the tone and pace of each track fitting really well with the one that comes before it. On to the tracks.

The Tracks:

Mario Grönnert - Of Departures
A slow start with one elongated note at a time stretching into the distance. Other notes join it and play around it in a higher pitch, the pace still subdued, the music quiet. An introspective track that gives time for any emotion to breathe.

Mario Grönnert - ...and strange horizons
A higher pitched start than the previous track, gentle bursts of sound swelling and dying. It also features something I quite like in which a sound takes on the guise of vocals but isn’t. Soft piano joins proceedings as the sound continues to wax and wane.

Mondfish – Euphoria
A track that almost sounds like it begins underwater, such is the effect of the low tone of the beginning sounds. Odd notes of piano pierce the gloom however, along with other higher tones. I like Euphoria but it sounded to me like something more darker than euphoric.

Mondfish – Slowdiver
A low drone is played with by a high pitched tone, the backing almost sounding like a prolonged “Om” which I quite liked. There is a tone later in the track that puts me in mind of the sound you get when you dial an engaged phone-line. It’s softer than that but the repeating noise gives a great impression of space.

Mondfish - Hidden pieces
A gentle start to the track, faint sounds joined by gentle plucked guitar. There are echoes and clicks as the track continues, the guitar notes becoming more plentiful and echoing. Again, a track that builds a great sense of space.

Thoughts

In Two Seas is a quiet, introspective dark ambient album that soothes and creates some very nice soundscapes. I enjoyed the time I spent listening to it but it is the kind of dark ambient that I really have to feel in the mood to listen to. With this is mind, I give In Two Seas 3/5 personally, but if you enjoy the more subtle elements of dark ambient music you can add one to that rating to bring it up to 4/5.

Visit the In Two Seas page on Bandcamp at this link for more information.

I was given a free copy of this album for review purposes.

Album Title: In Two Seas
Artist: Mario Grönnert and Mondfish
Artwork: Christian Herzer
Release: 29 May 2015