CD Review: Blackfield - Welcome To My DNA

Written by Sebastian Huhn Tuesday, 29 March 2011 14:21

Artist: Blackfield
Title: Welcome To My DNA
Genre: Pop / Rock
Release Date:1st April 2011
Label: KScope Records

Album Review

BLACKFIELD is one of the many commitments of PORCUPINE TREE’s Steven Wilson and a joint venture with Israeli superstar Aviv Geffen. That collaboration has brought forth two albums with ‘Blackfield I’ and ‘Blackfield II’ so far and now the band is about to release their newest body of work ‘Welcome To My DNA’.

I haven’t quite made contact with BLACKFIELD before, even though I’m an admitted fan of many of the works Steven Wilson is involved in. First it took some getting used to but then the album unfolded and in the following I’m going to try to explain the beauty to you that begins with the album opener ‘Glass House’ and a rich orchestral backdrop for Steven Wilson’s melancholy vocals, getting pushed to the backseat a little on kicking on of the laid-back, jazzy instrumentation. A secluded mood is taking hold immediately afterwards when he begins to reminisce “I used to live in a house of glass”, additionally adding hope that this doesn’t have to be a permanent state. If we were to break ‘Go To Hell’ down to one simple message we’d use “Fuck You All” which is actually the first thing you’re hearing. The track keeps it a little more powerful and has proggy elements. The third one in league ‘Rising Of The Tide’ touches on the subject of us taking a lifetime for granted. Too easily we forget that our time here on earth is limited. So if you hear “Any day can be the last day in your life / so make it an unforgettable time” on delicate piano in the introduction for once think of how many times you really did that.

Both Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen deliver their vocals with urgency on this atmospheric tune that is by no means a sad one. It encourages making the most of now while it lasts. ‘Waving’ is going to be the single and offers uplifting textures rhythmical acoustic guitar. In a way it’s elevating you. Following the line down to the fifth track ‘Dissolving With The Night’ leads to a classical approach, first in a capella fashion with Geffen singing brightly over a piano figure while the strings are reserved for Wilson. From there on the track leads to an orchestral climax before subsiding almost completely until only the piano and vocals are left to give a quiet ending to everything. ‘Blood’ injects Middle Eastern influences into its rock structure. It’s a track living of its instruments, being mostly void of any vocals. Mood-wise it’s on the line between the opaque and the blue of deep melancholy. A melancholy pop/rock song is what is coming with ‘Oxygen’. It’s not overly complex in its build but there’s a sad beauty in everything that can’t be put in words “There’s no oxygen left on our planet” ‘DNA’ closes the album and strips it down even more to vocals and melody. It captures the essence of what it’s all about “DNA…we all got expiry dates” A prosaic point of view. It means everything’s already set, no matter what we do or not. There’s an ending hardcoded in every cell.

I’ve not quite reached the point believing it’s all decided right from the start. Frankly spoken, it frightens me to believe something like that. ‘Welcome To My DNA’ was my first contact with the music of BLCKFIELD and the more I delved into it the more I came to like it. It’s a sophisticated and diverse pop/rock album and highly recommended.


Tracklist

01. Glass House - 2:56
02. Go To Hell - 3:03
03. Rising Of The Tide - 3:48
04. Waving - 3:55
05. Dissolving With The Night - 4:06
06. Blood - 3:18
07. On The Plane - 3:42
08. Oxygen - 3:05
09. Zigota - 5:04
10. DNA - 3:57


Website

http://www.blackfield.org / http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackfield/103704446366593


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9 / 10