This cd-r by Swedish project The Dead Hours has been lying on the funprox desk for two months now, and though I have played it several times, for some reason it never came to a review. But now it really has become time, because this cd is actually quite good. The Dead Hours is a project of Dennis R. Lindfors, who previously was active in a project called Inimikal. later he was joined by female vocalist Lisa Velander. “Dead Girl’s Waltz” is the third album of The Dead Hours, with an additional guitarist called Petter Gydemo. We are treated to an hour of haunting, filmic music, subtle ambient compositions with classical elements. The tracks vary in lenght from 3 to 20 minutes, but never become boring.
The album starts with a light, only slightly melancholic waltz as overture. It sets directly the mood for a dreamy atmosphere. The title tracks brings us more unsettling ambient, with moody piano sounds and mysterious spoken vocals. ‘And Thou Art Dead As Young As Fair” is darker and dronier, with recited texts of Lord Byron. Just as most tracks it is build up of multiple segments or parts. In the middlr the percussion gets more dominant, almost marchlike, after which sweeping strings enter, followed by a more electronic passage. Towards the end the music gets more tranquil again, with a melancholic orchestral sound. Perhaps the highlight of the album. But the tracks that follow are also quite good and diverse. Although the mood is somewhat dark, the music stays pleasing and esthetic, only yhe very minimal ‘An hour in a second’ ask perhaps for too much concentration. Very original is the strangily distorted traditional ‘Swing low, sweet chariot’. I must say that Eric Clapton’s version is quite different..
Certainly a special and succeeded album, with a nice mixture of ambient and classical sounds. Perhaps a release on Cold Meat in the future?
