North Atlantic Drift/Northumbria – Split CD
Hot off the heels of last year’s Monuments release comes this new music from North Atlantic Drift. This time it’s a split CD shared with labelmates Northumbria. North Atlantic Drift provide four tracks whilst Northumbria offer two. Before saying anything about the music I must confess to a dislike toward split releases. If I like one band but not the other that becomes a problem for me. If I like both then my OCD nature takes over. ‘This’ belongs here while ‘that’ belongs there. Can’t compute. Implode.
If I dislike both groups, that becomes a problem….for both groups, not to mention the label. Happily these two are fine exponents of ambient, compositional post-rock. Their music is complementary so the split release isn’t any epic fail. Of the two acts here, North Atlantic Drift are the more innocuous. Theirs is a minimalistic approach all to do with texture and layers. I really like ‘Ursa Major’, which has an almost Asian quality
Northumbria serve up the most challenging piece. ‘Cold Wind Rising’ is a rumbling epic, a dark, unknowable force travelling toward us and seemingly not best pleased. I’m not usually a fan of such dronescapes but this is well done and highly effective. Northumbria’s brand of ambient post-rock is the kind that has metal leanings. They close out with a more triumphant piece. ‘Vanishing Point’ consists of blazing guitar chimes and a scree of feedback. Again I’m put in mind of the Gods. These deities however are unconcerned about our presence and go about their dazzling business almost unaware of their witnesses.
Good stuff then. I have a press release that slates this for release May 1st this year!. Not sure what happened there? Maybe a postal delay or other such mix up. There is a digital and a physical release. The physical is limited to 100 CDs in gorgeous packaging. We’re talking numbered envelopes, loose inlay card and very arty booklet inlay. I gather there are a few left so move fast people.
All in all a lovely object with some fine music thrown in for good measure.
North Atlantic Drift – official