(Val)liam - Early Reflections EP

[psytimeofmylife]

 

Artist: (val)liam

Album: Early Reflections EP

Label: Dewtone

Released: 2005

 

Tracklisting:

1. Orange Horizon (4:04)

2. Dissolution (8:23)

3. Avalon (7:45)

4. Distance (4:31)

5. Negative Ions (6:29)

6. Somewhere Not Here (5:22)

7. Pass Out (6:46)

8. Wonder (4:00)

9. Early Reflections (6:10)

 

The first time I stumbled on (val)liam's work was when I saw the cover of Daydreamer. The music of Daydreamer was nice, warm, ambiental and so I started looking for more tracks from him. I found them on some compilations (Celestial Dragon for example). What I didn't know was, that there was an EP released at the Dewtone label. And it's available as a free download. Early Reflections EP was released in the year 2005, four years before his album Daydreamer. This EP is more calm, spacey, yet with a feel of nature – (val)liam has succeeded in keeping his sound through the years.

 

Track by track description:

 

The first track Orange Horizon starts out slowly, we've just woken up and it's morning, later giving us a ful gentle-sounding melody that goes nicely with the atmospheric background. The sun is rising in it's orange beauty. Later the electronic elements are accompanied with a guitar.

 

We have wandered into the world of (val)liam and are being guided to the next track (Dissolution) which isn't that beatless any more. Foreign drums, waterfalls and nature's creatures are next to us and in this 8 minute long journey we can take the time to observe our surroundings. This tracks starts fairly relaxed and progresses into a less calm state with the already mentioned drums. These stop later on, and we are left alone with the birds and the orange-sounding atmospheres.

 

We begin to float and are carried away to Avalon. This legendary island is supposed to be famous for it's apples =) Again, we are left for about three minutes to get to know the surroundings, inhale the freedom and feel the nature's energy. Then we get accompanied by flute song.

 

Distance is a bit shorter than the others (4:32 minutes) and sounds a bit sad. It reminds of homesickness as one's at the window, watching the sky, the fields and wonders about his trip. Lovely track, very emotional!

 

Negative Ions and Somewhere Not Here have their track titles like that for a reason. The feelings of guilt are starting to get to us, but we have to stay strong and fight against them! These two tracks are one of my least favourite on this release, as they sounds a bit creepy and out of place for a trip we're going through.

 

Pass Out is, again, a calm track with sparks or ripples that don't really sound like water but more like protons, brain waves travelling through your head, body energy that you actually feel (at about 3:40). Some more earthly sounds try waking you up, knocking in a bell-like way. Get up! Don't pass out, or you'll gonna miss the wonder.

 

Wonder is what brings us the joy back to our hearts. With hint of guitar and some lonely sounds, later with a whole acoustic guitar this is what brings us to the Early Reflections.

 

The last, ninth track is named Early Reflections. It has a beat, quite strong beat indeed, some percussions. A faster track that could be interpreted as some kind of introduction into (val)liam's Daydreams (but just, maybe...)

 

Conclusion:

Early Reflections EP is a bit more calm, peaceful than the album Daydreamer – some would call it boring. Yet, there are so many details, sparks of energy, acoustical instruments(!) that can be found if one listens carefully and let's himself with the flow with the tracks. Worth listening to!

Favs: 1, 4, 8

 

Where to get this album?

http://www.archive.org/details/dt006

as a free download

Discogs link: http://www.discogs.com/Valliam-Early-Refle.../release/505950