ALBUM REVIEW: MoonBladder – Snares Of Sixes

Music and art as a concept thrive on collaboration. In this hyper connected world, musicians can collaborate across continents, resulting in fascinating artistic collectives that draw from a wealth of influences. MoonBladder by SNARES OF SIXES offers the listener a sonic musing inspired by the Earth’s closest neighbour, the moon. At the helm of this collective is Jason Walton of AGALLOCH fame, who has bought together a swathe of fellow musicians and artists to collaborate on what has become SNARES OF SIXES‘ first album.

MoonBladder works as one whole piece, clocking in at just under 30 minutes. As an audience, we are treated to traditional forms of music, constructed around melody and rhythm, but also passages of truly fascinating soundscapes. The trick with any experimental music and sound is to develop a sense of pacing, which MoonBladder does brilliantly. Electronics pulse with mechanical intension, and windswept soundscapes draw us as listeners in.

At points, muffled words can be heard low in the mix. Is it a chant? Is it a prayer? Or is it the simple musings of an individual voicing aloud his conversation with the celestial body in the sky? Either way, it is a real sonic draw that adds to the layers of the record. A real highlight comes towards the end of the piece, where vocals are first introduced underneath a bed of warm chords played on a synthesised organ, punctuated by flickers of production noise.

Whilst it is not too clear whose contributions are whose throughout MoonBladder, there is clearly swathe of talent pouring through the album, and Walton‘s masterful assembly of the whole piece should be applauded. It is a composition that can benefit both from concentrated listening and from being played in the background, as it has enough detail to really draw the focus of the listener, but is un-invasive in its temperament.

Rating: 8/10 

MoonBladder is out now via Nefarious Industries.

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