Antonymes – Before The Light Fails (Review)

Those already familiar with Ian Hazeldine’s work as Antonymes will have come to expect something special…

Indeed, Beauty Becomes The Enemy Of The Future was such a fantastic release that the listener could be forgiven for wondering what may follow. Once again, he does not disappoint and provides his audience with a top-drawer package of art and sound.

Ian continues his idiosyncratic approach to the creation of music and has assembled two tracks with a double set of thirty one photographs, each taken over the month of May. Intended to be released as a most limited edition, there will be only one hard copy of the work for auction, a truly unique purchase.

Listening to the tracks separately, the listener is moved by the sparse beauty of his arrangements. A triumph in minimalism, each note is given space to breathe.

Dense drones provide the beginning of the first piece, ascending slowly until a simple, sparse and beautiful piano part arrives. The minutes fly as the piano pierces the mellotron’s purring analogue tone.

The second part opens with E-Bowed acoustic guitar, field recordings of trains passing and snatched parts of conversations, all woven with care. This is an intelligent and measured number which highlights the restrained characteristic of Antonyme’s works.

But of course, the tracks were meant to be listened to simultaneously in separate rooms while the listener views the included photographs.

So as the dusk nears and two rooms are filled with light, the twin tracks play combined and fill the air with sound. The music invokes changing of the seasons and passing of time, of the everlasting transition between summer and autumn.

The artwork complements the music wonderfully, as though it were an instrument in itself, with each photograph another note played. Piano punctures the droning mellotron and all too soon it’s over, seven minutes and thirty eight seconds, 62 photographs, sunset.

A simply flawless release, whether as the unique hard copy or a digital download, Before The Light Fails is a daring and inspired exercise in creating a timeless work of art.

Digital download available between 1st July to 30th September for free on Experimedia or through the Antonymes Bandcamp page, where there will be an opportunity to make an optional donation. – Review by Adam Williams for Fluid Radio

Release Info:

31: is a project undertaken for the month of May 2010.
31: is looking and actually seeing.
31: is listening and actually hearing.
31: is blurring the boundaries.
31: is a digital download.
31: is a short film.
31: is 31 black & white digital photographs.
31: is “Before The Light Fails [Pt.1].
31: is piano.
31: is Mellotron.
31: is iPhone.
31: is a free download, but donations are not refused.
31: is available from Experimedia.
31: is available from Bandcamp.
31: is a 1 track CD.
31: is 31 full colour photographic prints.
31: is “Before The Light Fails [Pt.2].
31: is acoustic guitar.
31: is Merseyrail.
31: is a box, lovingly constructed.
31: is a limited edition of just one.
31: is a 10 day auction on ebay.
31: is recorded at The Lightbox.
31: is mixed at The Lightbox.
31: is mastered by Jannick Schou.
31: is a work that can be played in 2 rooms, simultaneously.
31: is the latest release by Antonymes.
31: is available from 1st July 2010.
31: is only available until 30th September 2010.
31: is to be repeated in May 2011.
31: is 31 statements about 31.

31 will be available as a digital download between 1st July and 30th September 2010. It will be available through Experimedia, where you can download it for free, or Bandcamp, where there is an option to give a donation. The download includes “Before the Light Fails” Pt.1, 31 black & white photographs and a short film.

31 will be available as a 1 track CD between 1st – 10th July 2010, and will be auctioned on ebay. It will be an edition of just one. It includes “Before the Light Fails” Pt.2 and 31 full colour prints, in a lovingly crafted box. Photos here.

“Before the Light Fails” Pts. 1+2 are intended to be played simultaneously in separate rooms.

Ebay Auction
www.antonymes.bandcamp.com
www.experimedia.net
www.antonymes.co.uk