Dalot / Ancestors EP / self
Ancestors features shoegazy tracks with heavy synth providing droning background weight. Most tracks do use guitars to provide added texture and the occasional bell or whistle sometimes adds to the soundscape. There is a lot more diversity than your standard soundscape, though. The whole CD creates a just-rained lucid feel with its guitars, but manages to stay grounded and dreamy. Reminds me of Sigur Ros and Tim Hecker having a baby with a little teeny bit of psychedelia. The remixes are very good as well. No FCCs.

1. Flood-1:33-More of an intro track but still powerful. Glockenspiel, ominous synth, and violins progress to a wall of sound. No lyrics. Feels like a heavily overcast day before it rains.

2. Ancestors-4:18-Guitars hinting main melody and dreamy vocals. Solidifies and transitions to piano, strings with same background, sans vocals. Dreaminess is layered on thicker and thicker until end. Imagine a cold but humid bright day with lots of dew.

3. Staircase-6:38-Guitar has more rhythm, feels airy and more mature synths/strings provide texture. Slow crescendo that occasionally surges but never climaxes.

4. Night Owl-3:52-Title says it all. Occasional rattles of something massive. Lots of whistling, plus synth, bass/guitar, string textures. Kind of “old fashioned great american music”-y, but haunting.

5. That Was Now-5:24- Silence at first! High notes make you shiver, but general orchestra-tuning feel with drone. More lucid towards the end with clear strings.

6. 06 (bvdubs Ancestors)-14:07-Remix of Ancestors with more “epic” feel. Still dreamy male vocals and strings provide main melody. Faster piano at the end.

7. Ancestors (Dryft Remix)-6:41-Ancestors with driving but downtempo kick/snare, added melodic synth, and more organized. Beat speeds up at the end.

8. Ancestors (Northcape Remix) -4:00- Fatter synth and light beat. Horns(?) carry melody. A lot more lucid than the original. A little less shoegazy; rather, introspective electronic.