Northern Abbey - The Sounds of Glowing

Source

Track Listing:
1. Portrait
2. The Trail
3. A Lonesome Road
4. Glowing
5. Of Lights
6. The Several Seas (Bonus Track)

Try The Calamari returns with a review of Northern Abbey's brand new EP, The Sounds of Glowing. When Nick Lambert announced the impending release of his project's next album, I fervently patroled Northern Abbey's Bandcamp for days (It just so happens that the EP was released the one day I didn't visit the site).

Odd as it is, the songs in this album reminded me of a winding brook flowing inbetween moss-covered trees. Why is this odd despite my awkward phrasing? Because Northern Abbey's Bandcamp reads, "[Nick Lambert] loves all the greenery, forests, rain, lakes, and people that the northwest brings together, and writes music as a sort of soundtrack to all of it." Whether you believe me or not, I noticed this description midway through listening to the album. It's fair to say Nick is a master at creating imagery through his music. Particularly reminiscent of said imagery are the tracks Portrait, The Trail, and Of Lights.

The album opens with the serene yet relatively upbeat Portrait. The track boasts flawless instrumental combinations such as an interesting piano and guitar colaboration along with Nick's steady vocals. A perfect song to ring in the new album, in my opinion.

In the next track, The Trail, Nick sought out the help of his wife, Shiloh, to create a very calming and peaceful melody. Though subtle, this acoustic track showcases feel-good euphonics that'll demand your undivided attention.

The EP takes a dramatic turn in the following track, A Lonesome Road. A Lonesome Road is an instrumental with (what I assume to be) Arabic influences. While listening to this track, a feeling of impending dread is what I would describe my immediate feelings as. Not to say that I dislike the track; in fact, it's quite the opposite. This instrumental is original and an provides an interesting change of pace.

Glowing is a little bit more progressive than the earlier songs in the EP. This track's tempo alternates from from a somewhat rapid pace to a soothing, melodic gait. However, the next track, Of Lights, maintains a slow tempo that is quite mesmerizing.

Finishing off the EP, Nick offers us a bonus track. The Several Seas (Bonus Track). It's easy to tell why Nick labelled this song as a bonus track as the sound doesn't quite correlate with the other songs in the album, but that doesn't make this song any less incredible. The Several Seas (Bonus Track) has somewhat of a 70s electronic vibe (or Sega Genesis vibe) with heavy used of synthesizers. It's certainly a unique way to finish off the album.

Though short, it's plain to tell that the effort put into these songs is more than most artists put into full-length albums. I urge you to migrate to a desolate location and listen to The Sounds of Glowing in its entirety. You will not be disappointed, and if you are, well then, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Final Verdict:

Northern Abbey - Northern Abbey

Source

Track Listing:

1. Catacombs

2. Wayward Village

3. Paintings

Yep, that's it for the track listing. You'll finally be spared my long-winded, senseless ramblings that are usually incapable of being interpreted.

While perusing the depths of the internet (Don't worry. I didn't go too far down the rabbit hole) I happened upon an interesting sound. After much investigation (I looked to the top of the page), I found the source of the harmonic resonance to be that of Northern Abbey's self-titled EP.

Now, there isn't much that I could find out about this band/project, but it was intriguing enough to write a review on it despite it's extremely short composition. However, it's a complex, refreshing, and cinematic experience despite the length.

This experimental EP was written and produced by Nick Lambert of Falling Up. Jordan Wood contributed the drums, bass, stomps, and claps while Eric Stanwell played the violin and cello. Jessy Ribordy, also a member of Falling Up and The River Empires, engineered and mixed the EP while too contributing to the claps and stomps. And, it seems as though Wikipedia is slacking because that is literally all I could find out about the band. Anyway, onward to the track breakdown!

The album begins with Catacombs which is a complex and celestial track. The song leads in with a delayed yet soothing piano while electronic influences accompany it soon after. Lambert introduces his voice about a minute in and continues with very repetitive lyrics. Despite the monotonous melody, his vocals are extremely euphonious and most certainly add to the beauty and allure of the track. However, the song does pull a M. Night Shyamalan at 3 minutes and 45 second. The listeners are lead to believe the song is over as it breaks off into silence, but after waiting 25 more seconds, a strange static tapping interrupts the dead air and an explosion of distorted, electronic instrumentals finish the track out.

Following Catacombs is the classical instrumental, Wayward Village. This song is introduced by a sharp violin that is then accompanied by the light plucking of cello strings. A minute in, a piano joins the two and blends in seamlessly with the melody. Two thirds of the way into the song, the classical theme is transformed by the addition of a bass and drum with heavy metal influences which then leads the track to its finality. It's a very interesting take on classical music regardless of the track's length and simplicity.

And last, but not least—in fact most, for that matter—is Paintings. This song finally gives Lambert's vocals some credit. His voice is carried through a ballroom echo (I just made that term up, but it sounds intelligent and makes sense in my mind) and holds a relatively high octave. It's a pretty bare track in terms of its instrumental expansiveness, but the acoustic guitar and slightly oriental influences mix to add a surreal and soothing sound. The track finishes the EP leaving the listener feeling calm yet craving more.

This orchestral album carries an intriguing melody and a few surprises that captivates the audience. It's a short EP, but the complexity and original choice of instruments cannot be overlooked. Although the vocals are repetitive, their unique resonance helps them hold their ground among the instrumentals. In my opinion, Northern Abbey gives you a taste that leaves a lingering appetite. I hope that the band continues this endeavor and releases a longer EP or album in the near future because it's definitely gained my attention.

Final Verdict: