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Monday, August 1, 2011

Heinali & Matt Finney - Ain't No Night (2011)


Band: Heinali & Matt Finney
Country: Ukraine/Alabama
Style: Atmospheric Doom/Ambient
Label: Paradigms Recordings

I guess by now, some people maybe have noticed, my taste in ambient and the softer side of the musical spectrum has grown. Now, I won't say that I'm the biggest expert on the genre, but it's nice to have something to just cool down to every once in a while. I've only listened to a few releases from this duo, but they have grown into quite a unique entity.
I'm not sure how many people have actually heard of this duo, and I'm not sure many really get the idea of poetry melding with music, so I feel that this project could be misinterpreted. I've always found the idea of spoken word and poetry melding with music and sound to be fascinating, and though I can't say that I've ever taken much time in looking for artists that did that, it was something that I can say I've had an interest in. For as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed poetry, and I can't say that that enjoyment has wavered as I've become older, so the darker lines that Matt Finney speaks really connect with me on a deeper level than a lot of lyricists. The words of what could perhaps only be described as the thoughts of a disassociated youth frustrated with what they see in the disgusting and collapsing world they live in, perfect for someone like me.
Musically, you'll hear a pretty wide range of styles used on these four songs. The music Heinali creates is definitely fitting to the lyrics that Finney speaks over them, you'll hear elements of minimalistic ambient, trip-hop, noise, shoegaze, dream pop, country, and even hints of doom metal on occasion. Each track is a new expressive vision, from the much more distorted side of the title-track, Ain't No Night, to the the softer and much more melancholic side of Hallelujah, each track is really very expressive and expansive in it's composition. This is the soundtrack to some sort of David Lynch-meets-Alfred Hitchcock, with the trippy worldview of the former and the disturbing nature of the latter.
I can't say that I didn't enjoy any part of these four tracks, each provided a very unique perspective into the the minds of both artists. This is easily one of the most expressive albums I've heard all year, and is also one of the albums I have been able to connect with on a deeper level than just enjoying the music. Although I'm sure the whole spoken word thing isn't what gets a lot of people excited, those of you who are into more experimental music should most definitely check this duo out.
Overall Score: 9
Highlights: Tinderbox, Ain't No Night

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