The Rock Blogger

Encomiast . Bathed in Sunlight . 2008. 4 stars .

Try as I may, I just can’t stop posting about the obscure albums I’ve stumbled across online. Some of them are just too good to leave untouched, so here goes. Bathed in Sunlight is a beautiful ambient/post-rock album from Colorado natives Encomiast that features five blissful songs that incorporate an impressive variety of ethereal sounds and instruments.

Transient drones wash over you from the outset of "Pumpkin", as layers of synth harmonies and distant vocals glide across each other in slow, hypnotic movements. Together they create a trace-inducing atmosphere that is subtly executed yet incredibly powerful in its effect. "If the Night Commands It" introduces light percussion into the mix, as soft tabla drums patter away against the deep bass lines before a shimmering guitar sweeps across in a delicate post-rock fashion. The meditative vocals of Ross Hagen gracefully enter, providing haunting lyrical descriptions of some twilight scene. While the musicianship never deviates far from the set patterns, it still draws you into a peaceful dream-like state.

"Laughter in the Storm" is probably the album’s stongest track, as clear tabla percussion again sets the stage for gentle acoustic guitar lines and some stunning flute passages that hover at the front of the mix. Hagen’s sparse vocals return to lend a dark, foreboding touch to the otherwise warm melodies. "My Chariot Awaits?" takes a little while to get going, as it meanders in aimless ambient noise, before finally fleshing out with soothing synth drones and cinematic echoes, reminding me of lonely whale songs or strange rumblings within a subway tunnel. The closing "Evergreen" introduces ominous female vocals that careen across the light soundscape before driving drums crash in, bringing us to a final, glorious crescendo. While this epic climax is not nearly as bombastic as conventional rock fair, its contrast to the rest of the song (and most of the album) is immediately satisfying and demonstrates Encomiast’s deliberate sense of pacing and structure.

Despite its often spare and detached composition, Bathed in Sunlight feels natural and welcoming as they want to ease the listener into a trance with the care and patience of a ancient shaman. Fans of minimalist music, film scores and ambient rock like Labradford will find much to like here. While you may have trouble finding a physical copy of this, as its release is very limited, you may have a chance securing one from the band’s website . Good luck, this is surely worth the effort.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 at 11:35 am and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.