Aes Dana – Season 5

English / Polish version

Aes Dana - Season 5
    ULTIMAE RECORDS
    Aes Dana
    Season 5
    2002

      1. Natti Natti
      2. Peripherics
      3. Season 5
      4. Undertow
      5. Gatewick (Vinyl Airport Delay)
      6. Dew (Herbal Version)
      7. Chrysalis
      8. Onset Data (Ethereal Version)
      9. Forest Fish
      10. Suspended Grounds

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I firmly believe that Aes Dana needs no introduction. There is no need to say that Aes Dana is powered by Villuis Vincent (ex Asura) and Sunbeam (aka Mahiane). I do not have to mention that their unique style can be recognized after only a few sounds coming out from the speakers.

Style, which arose from the fusion of sounds deeply rooted in a psychedelic base together with the sounds of the morning sounds oscillate between a dream and waking. It moves us between the landscapes which are built on sound structures, with refreshing breeze touching the face. The day on which I am writing this review the presented album is already 8 years old, and it sounds still fresh, still valid and up-to-date. It is a real pearl. And the pearls do not lose their undeniable value.
Theme of the album was the fifth season, which formally does not exist, but it can be felt. Maybe it is our indian summer, or maybe the time when a specific scent of the air announces the spring. The artists themselves say about it: „This in-between season, the one which does not exist but can at times be Peripherics. It could be the indian summer or the beginning of Spring, something contrasted and filled with unusual lights.” And really, in each track I can find this „state between”, eg in NATTI NATTI, I can feel the mountain stream awakening to life with the first thaw, I feel the cool breeze of air that it brings. The sun warms the frozen face. PERIPHERICS associate me with the composition of the scattered blocks. The blocks which are made of ice and melt with each single sound, (enriching the whole composition). SEASON 5, despite the beautiful tribal beat, it is more progressive than shamanic. This is due to melting synth sounds in the background, and thrilling, amazing and touching melody in the foreground. GATEWICK and UNDERTOW awaken us from the winter sleep with faster beat. DEW is back with a lazy atmosphere, this time contrasts with the restlessness of the forest whisper, a gentle brook and a groan mumbling of wind raging in the newly-covered leaves of trees. CHRYSALIS and ONESET DATE are another beautiful structures enriched the sounds something like a delicate vocal in the final parts of the track, but CHRYSALIS is a composition much more extensive for me. I can risk with identification ONSET DATE as quite minimal track, the idea generated some thoughts about sand waves of Japanese meditation gardens. FOREST FISH is my one of my favorite on this album, I love the sounds of the forest, crickets, croaking frogs. The tribal beat hypnotizes me with touching vocals. The contrast between some soft, warm beats and frosty, crystal, clear sound is amazing. SUSPENDED GROUNDS is a final track which closes the whole album (carries a large dose of relaxing climate). Definitely it is the most relaxing of all the compositions included on the album, brings calm down and peace reaching into the consciousness (or subconsciousness).

If it had been necessary, I can highly recommend this album. But I know that there is no such necessity, because you perfectly understand that Aes Dana is simply a masterpiece, and adventure, which brings his first album, you just have to experience.
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10 / 10
Beata Brzoza