Manahil - From Roots to Clouds EP

Title: From Roots to Clouds
Artist: Manahil
Genre: Acoustic / Minimalist
Release Date: 2009
Label: Self-Released



Album Review

MANAHIL’s 2007 debut ‘Hadayane’ was a spicy mix of progressive ambient electronic soundscapes mixed with middle eastern pop melodies - and was a very promising introduction to the duo that really showed off their talent. The whole album had a very mystical vibe that was siphoned through very modern equipment, giving it a unique feel. So I’m looking forward to finding out what direction Matthieu and Hind are going in with this new EP.

This EP is very piano driven and minimalist, more bordering on lounge music or sombre cabaret rather than the textured electronica that had previously made me take notice. ‘10:00pm’ is a pleasantly dark bluesy kind of piece that you could hear Billie Holliday singing in a smoky club - it’s sombre pace would make it a great little song to do mid-set in a live show. ‘Eternal Morning Light’ is a bit stronger in emotion, but still predominantly piano (with a little added effect) and begins to make me fear that this is going to be the entire blueprint for the entire EP. Cue five straight piano and voice covers in a row, comprised of Ayreon, Norah Jones, Nine Inch Nails, Evergrey, and Nirvana and those fears are confirmed - though all the songs are played expertly and sung with emotion, the fact that there is five in a row using the same formula robs them of all impact and leaves them as bland little shells - it maybe would have been better to choose one and cut the track listing down to preserve the power of the tracks.

‘Biharou Tofoulati’ is an acoustic version of a song that was fantastic in its original form on the ‘Hadayane’ album - the change in language makes for a welcome tweak to the running formula. ‘Where it Ends’ is again a good sombre and emotional track with some fine Bowie-esque chord-work, but having spent the previous eight tracks listening to sombre minimalist pieces I’m afraid the impact is gone. However ‘To Anger’ is this disc’s saving grace - Finally some of that progressive mindset and rich electronic texture - it’s still a piano driven track, but the effects and drums give it an almost trip-hop feel that I would have welcomed within several other tracks on this EP. We then finish on a sixth cover, this time another NIN penned track in the form of ‘Hurt’ - which has been covered to perfection previously by the late Johnny Cash and as such didn’t need to be here, especially considering the track that came before.