SEVEN RIVERS OF FIRE - "HAIL STAR OF THE SEA!" 2xLP

LULUS: The sound of ritual is strong on 'HAIL STAR OF THE SEA!'. Comprised of rich lo-fi drones from all sorts of instruments (bowls & bells & harmonium & rosary beads & field recordings & acoustic guitar & the spooks and creaks of a home after midnight. Much like spiritual ritual it is partly improvised (enflamed with passion) and partly composed (directional and intentional). The twenty-minute 'Crossing The Abyss / The Magician's Journey' is truly breathtaking, teeming with a special kind of raw come sublime energy - pure expression of intangibles through music - music as language and poetry - music as soul - music as a call to the other planes. Hihly recommended if you have an interest in ambient drone, fingerpicked folk guitar, experimental DIY home recorded chamber music, spirit contact or esoteric pathways to revealed knowledge.

FRINGES OF SOUND: There's an oddly spiritual theme which permeates this entire album that can't really be attributed to any one aspect of it's composition. Rather, the various elements used to create each composition coalesce around one another to create something that feels equal parts folksy and atmospheric. Opening up with "Look to the Star," the album sets the tone that field recordings and found sounds will define the runtime only to have this expectation completely subverted as the noises fade away and are replaced by an alternatively plucked and strummed guitar at a moderately fast pace. This quickly becomes the running theme of the album as the guitar plays off of a litany of sounds including untuned violins, harmoniums, bells, bowls, and all types of unusual field recordings.