BERLIN HEART: The Low Summit (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Just two years ago, Berlin Heart made its first steps with its first album, "Mute In The Sea", a kind of UFO mixing pop, rock, electro and ambient for a tasty mix. A first opus with sometimes experimental sounds, those of Vincent Blanot's laboratory who, like a music alchemist, likes to try mixtures and combinations, always with success.

On "The Low Summit", there are no more electro influences to the benefit of a more folk music, more organic, but also warmer. This acoustic aesthetic is expressed from the very first moments of the record, with an incursion of Appalachian dulcimer on the introductory track 'The Poringland Oak' as well as on the instrumental 'Apical Bud' whose beginning reminds us of the soundtrack of "Into the Wild". By taking the time to set the mood, Berlin Heart invites us to let go and travel through distant and unknown territories, perfectly illustrated by a superb cover, highlighting an oil painting by Michael Handt.

If Berlin Heart always has for leitmotiv to go straight to the point in his compositions, he signs here some of his most beautiful titles in short formats. 'She Dreamed Of A Pale Light', apparently very simple but extremely poetic and delicate, immediately manages to touch the listener's heart. In a relatively minimalist register, the sumptuous 'The Innocents' stands out with crystal clear violins. The multi-instrumentalist proves us y that it is possible to make wonders with a simple guitar and a bewitching voice as on 'Dead Leaves', one of the most beautiful titles of the album.

Finally, it is impossible not to mention the central piece of this "Mute In The Sea". 'The Low Summit' and its 15 minutes will delight the progressive fans, with very nice sections managing to mix Soen with Leprous, sometimes pushed by relatively heavy and unexpected electric guitar phrasings. Let's also salute the vocal performance with beautiful harmonies on several occasions, as it is also the case on 'Dead Leaves' or 'Lost House' to name a few. Using a wide range of sounds and influences to create a singular universe throughout the album, it is not easy to put a style label on this record, and this is perhaps one of its main strengths.

Berlin Heart undoubtedly puts the bar a notch higher with this new very ambitious opus (welcoming not less than a dozen guests!) and by managing to propose a content at the same time complex and accessible. By releasing a very beautiful album which borders on the faultless, Berlin Heart proves that it will be necessary to count on him in the years to come. - Official website

BERLIN HEART

THE LOW SUMMIT

AUTOPRODUCTION

ROCK