Amute - Bending Time In Waves [Humpty Dumpty Records 030]

Released on February 5th, 2k16 via the Belgium-based imprint Humpty Dumpty Records is "Bending Time In Waves", Amute's sixth studio album after first stepping on the longplay circuit back in 2004. Over the time of twelve years the music of Amute has changed and evolved quite a lot and has now recently reached a freeform stage that can be well described as a muscular, distortion heavy take on PostRock instrumentalism accompanied by simple piano sequences ("You're Free Now!"), serving scenic guitar parts for widescreen panoramas ("Internal Eternal feat. Eric Craven") or even fucking up Campfire Rock in a melancholic, broken hearted way ("Stay As You Are"). With "Solar Flames" we're even served an inward looking ballad whilst the nearly nine minutes spanning title track fuses (neo)classical, medieval string arrangements, psychedelic vocal efforts and droning, fuzzing guitars alongside DarkJazz-influenced, freeform drums reminding us of the legendary project Village Of Savoonga. Furthermore "Pleine Charge" explores a world of organic Ambient sceneries, "The Awakening Of March" creates a similar feel whilst fusing postrocky walls of guitar fuzz and busy background drums before switching to pure electronic sounds after approx. 3 minutes, more exactly a distorted and fucked up Illbient beat foundation and crystalline synths which are later accompanied by more muscular live played instruments again. Finally "Moments" brings in dark'ish, slightly wavey vocals on top of a multi-layered, spine-tingling and feedback heavy crescendo for the headstrong. Defo not the easiest album to fully embrace throughout the first listening session but one that will surely grow on the listener over time.