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Nadja > Ruins of Morning > Reviews > NausikaDalazBlindaz
Nadja - Ruins of Morning

A serene deviation from usual noisy Nadja - 70%

NausikaDalazBlindaz, July 27th, 2012

For once, Nadja have deviated from their usual noisy ambient drone doom texture soundscapes and given us something a little like introspective country or folk music but still within their familiar musical haunts. In some respects "Ruins of Morning" reminds me of current Dylan Carlson / Earth: easy-going, slightly blues-flecked, Western-desert atmospheric rock with a minimal and repetitive melody or riff along with bare-bones percussion. There's a slight intrusion of distorted noise guitar at times which gives the first half of the track a slightly rough edge and warns you there's something behind the warm and restful rhythm, the hushed voice and long chiming harmonica / organ tones (hard to tell exactly what the tones are but they seem slightly organ-like). The repetition has an immersive and relaxing effect on the listener and the track builds up very slowly and almost imperceptively. Any variations within the track are in the minute details: the odd change of key, a missed drum-beat perhaps, an off-key note, a squeaky guitar lick.

As the track progresses in its first half, the mood gradually becomes ominous and dark as if presaging mysterious turmoil; the chiming tones twist and turn and shadows hover over them. The guitars begin a long wail and the noise begins to bleed into the dark spaces like ongoing acid showers.

About the halfway mark the familiar Nadja drone noise narrative kicks in and seems very much like fresh spring rain, washing away the darkness and shadows that had crept up on the serene country / folk soundscape. The vocals help to shape the droning feedback and give it rhythmic regularity so it soon begins a staccato stop-start routine. A clean lead guitar solo locks into a duet with the rest of the music which itself becomes less distorted though it still retains a rough edge.

There's not much of a climax and the track fades away slowly in the guise it had in its first twenty minutes.

A very pleasant and restful piece for much of its playing time, "Ruins of Morning" is a mellow sound painting of open spaces, mostly clear skies and hints of a fresh beginning, a renewal of life. There may have been a nostalgic longing for a past loved one in the quiet, wistful vocals but overall the track seems quite hopeful. Perhaps a new direction for Nadja is being heralded here? There's not a lot of imagination at work in the track and its first half is very long for what it does although I do appreciate it has to build up very slowly in atmosphere. The band still slips into the old Nadja groove so working towards a new if still minimalist musical path will take some time.