3/24/2013

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Locrian - The Crystal World


Chicago, Illinois trio Locrian really knows its way around invoking musical elements of both euphoria and horror simultaneously and seamlessly, and their 2010 spectacle "The Crystal World" is very solid proof of this. Bearing only six tracks (Not including the extra second disc) lasting up to eleven minutes each, this masterpiece is a definite must-have for those in search of dreamy yet dark drone passages. The euphoric aspect is brought forth by the hypnotizing guitar play and synthesizer, which is especially well-showcased in the album's title track. They are slow and echoing in their tracks, drifting through the audience's eardrums like a sweet lullaby. Buzzing static in the background of the trances benefit both the softer and drearier sides of this record, backed up by the occasional half-faded tortured shrieks, creating a ghastly and unsettling tone fitting for the dreamscapes that "The Crystal World" has to offer. The off-pattern drums don't seem to play any actual, solid beats, as opposed to providing a more echoing tone for the rest of the instrumentation with their resonant and very slow sound. To sum it all up, the album artwork shown above paints the picture that this album is creating with its entrancing soundscapes, for they are both beauteous and haunting at the same time.