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Amberhaze: „Then we saw the Stars again“

  Tobias

The major label A&R: „Man, I'm really digging your debut album. Hasn't left my stereo for weeks. This romantic touch you have caters perfectly to the current craze about Ólafur Arnalds, Sigur Rós and Múm - or every other ethereal Neo-Classical Icelandic Chamber-Pop ensemble for that matter. At the same time, you have this potent Rock sound, terrific crossover potential, I'm telling ya. I even ran it through this new hit-prediction Software and it's telling me we've got a winner here. Asked my secretary to draw up a little contract straight away. Before we get to business, though, there's something really important I need to tell you. Not trying to interfere with your creative process here. But as an Italian project from Singapore, I really feel you should make use of your exotic descent. Just spice it up with some tabla grooves, you know, or include a sitar in the mix. Hasn't failed me once. We want to shoot some stylish Promo-pics as well. So where's the other guys of the band?“

The Club Booker: „So I've been hearing about you. People telling me that your record already has a powerful and direct live sound to it and I can't say I disagree. There's this huge ballad-like anthem right in the middle of the album, what's it called again? „1994“, that's right. Not the best of titles, but who cares. What matters is: It works: Massive, majestic drums and an 80s-Pomp-Staccato-Synthesizer-Riff that you can't get out of your head for days. That's the kind of tune people want to hear when they're in a club. What people don't want to hear when they're in a club, though, are these quirky Electronica-tracks that sound like your CD-player's skipping while you're listening to some old Ambient-albums – and unfortunately you have some of those on your album, too. And they sure don't want to listen to that classical stuff either. There are other people for that, Ólafur Arnalds, Sigur Rós and Múm - or every other ethereal Neo-Classical Icelandic Chamber-Pop ensemble for that matter. I know this may sound harsh, but if you want to make it big out there, you gotta rock. So hit that stage and kick some ass!“

The Radio-DJ: „I get sent so much stuff, I don't even remember which demo yours was. Oh, you're that Italian guy who lives in Singapore and writes these instrumental songs with romantic titles like „Crush“, „You are here“ or „There is a Way“. Very nice album, really. Can't say anything unkind about it. Some melancholic Piano, big, epic tunes. Some almost Folk-ish pieces in there as well. My favourite's „When you Sleep“, with that deep, autumnal Guitar-lick and those dabbers of Vibes and a delicate drone in the back. Yes, I would definitely recommend „Then we saw the Stars again“ to my friends, as a matter of fact I was just telling a colleague of mine about it. Will I play it on my show? Well, you see, the problem is this: There are no vocals so I really can't see it fitting into any of our more mainstream programs. And for our more experimental outfits it seems slightly too melodic. Post-Pop rather than Post-Rock if you ask me. And that Synthesizer-Riff in „1994“ is really out of date. But those classical passages were very nice. Made me think of Ólafur Arnalds, Sigur Rós and Múm – and a couple of other ethereal Neo-Classical Icelandic Chamber-Pop ensembles for that matter.“

Tobias: „Listening to the album made me understand what people mean when they're claiming that music is an emotional language: I don't see a filter between your art and your real-life persona at all. This record is relentlessly romantic, unashamedly harmonic and yet moody at the same time and it conveys a plethora of different feelings. Some of them are contradictory, but that's the way it is when you turn your inside out. A lot of Post-Rock-bands have sounded aggressive, anthemic and tender this year. But not many have managed to bring out the myriads of nuances between these poles like you have. Your track titles and Pop-allusions and even that 80s Synthesizer-Riff on „1994“ all feel strangely organic. And if those classical allusions should lead to comparisons with people like Ólafur Arnalds, Sigur Rós and Múm: Don't worry. There are worse references than them.“

By Tobias Fischer

Homepage: Amberhaze
Homepage: KittyWu Records