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View Full Version : Album Club, February 2020: Snow Ghosts - ‘A Small Murmuration’



Album Club
31-01-2020, 23:53
The Album Club choice for February 2020 comes courtesy of Mark (YNWaN) with Snow Ghosts 'A Small Murmuration'.

As always please listen to the album in its entirety before you comment and vote.



Snow Ghosts - ‘A Small Murmuration’

https://img.discogs.com/gdnFW1ueH8q0oe073Fty77PZ7tk=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():qualit y(90)/discogs-images/R-4746873-1551170544-5212.jpeg.jpg

I’ve chosen this album for a number of interweaving reasons. Perhaps obviously (perhaps not) it is a record I really like (I have the vinyl copy but it’s available on other formats), but then I have hundreds of records I really like, so why this one in particular? I suppose I chose it to present here because it is; 1/ probably not a record many will have heard before, 2/ an unusually complex mix of different genres - folk, metal, electronica, ambient, world etc. 3/ it is not inaccessible (I believe) for those unfamiliar with music of this type, and finally - it sounds amazing on my system with sweeping soundscapes and staccato drums beats. One second it is all lush harmonic textures and the next it is pounding rhythms. This record sound fine on an iPad but it really sounds so much more complex and sophisticated on a proper hifi.

Probably the most immediately accessible track, and the one you may have heard before is ‘And The World Was Gone’:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcJt4wNeYN0

The whole album:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v5gn8qkrY0&list=RD5v5gn8qkrY0&start_radio=1

Below is the link to the relevant Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Ghosts

Below is the link to the group on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/houndstoothlbl/sets/snow-ghosts-a-small-1

Audio Al
01-02-2020, 15:21
Well that was different , I strugled to get to the end but did stick it out

Bass heavy ( Foundation shaking ) , Vocals very bland all delivered at the same tone and speed , No get up and go even though the singer seems to have good vocal ability :(

Not for me sorry

5 out of 10

AJSki2fly
01-02-2020, 16:32
I had a listen via TIDAL and the SQ seemed pretty good, being pretty clear and atmospheric.

Trk 1 The Hunted I rather liked, along with trk 2 Murder Cries, 3 and 4 I found a slightly odd balance of styles, not unpleasant just different I suppose, edging on industrial in parts.

Trk 5 The Gallows is rather good, as is Trk 6 Time Listens, which is a more quieter considered piece.

Trk 7 Untangle Me, I found this interesting, the sounds used creating a tension at the start, which leads into the dark bass and drums, and dower vocals, quite dark

Trk 8 Ropery a haunting track

Trk 9 And The World Was Gone - driving and good

Trk 10 In The Deep - very atmospheric.

I could not quite put my finger on it but Hannah Cartwrights singing reminds me of someone else, and then it came to me she is similar in some ways to Eivør Pálsdóttir, her Slør album is worth a listen if you like Snow Ghosts.

Overall I rather liked it 8/10, although one or two of the songs I found slightly disjointed but maybe that was the point, I will listen again and explore more of their more recent releases.

Ashmore
03-02-2020, 15:17
Fascinating. I've listened to this twice so far and haven't worked out what I think about it. I'll give it another go or two...

Ashmore
06-02-2020, 09:44
OK got it now. Massive Attack with extra foreboding. Not instantly accessible to me but more rewarding with each play. 7

RMutt
08-02-2020, 16:27
Track 7 Untangle Me. Very similar to Collider, Jon Hopkins. Out at roughly the same time.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8XtqUOegCv8

Alex_UK
08-02-2020, 21:29
Had a couple of plays and this is my kind of thing. Will spin it a few more times in the coming weeks, but surprised I've never come across them before so thanks Mark for something which I always hope Album Club does and introduce people to music they haven't experienced before. :)

gninnam
09-02-2020, 10:24
First play and I thought - it's OK, nothing to write home about.
On my 4th listen this morning and noticing some nice touches in the way the tracks are constructed.
Nothing new, just subtle, especially with the strings.
The more I played the more I liked so its a solid 8/10 for me - the later albums are pretty good too.:thumbsup:

(Just remembered who they reminded me of - Omenopus)

high.spirits
16-02-2020, 11:54
Just could not get into this after trying a couple of times.
Having read the wikipedia entry, the part about electronic / folk genres comes through in this album. Both of these leave me cold I'm afraid, however for those who like the style its well presented.
Good album cover, we have load of starlings that perform murmuration over the fields nearby.

Jac Hawk
16-02-2020, 12:31
In my house i have 2 systems, the one in my basement exclusively used for vinyl and the one in the living room that's my home theatre system which is where i listened to this on, i played it via spotify in my favourite 5.1 setting which gave the music a load of atmosphere but didn't really grab me unfortunately, what really disappointed me was that the singer although capable never once changed her delivery from track to track and although the music obviously changed she made it all sound the same, i can imagine this being something you'd put on after getting back from a rave to basically chill you out and calm you down. 6/10 from me.

Discopants
20-02-2020, 16:55
I've listened to this about 5/6 times on spotify now, it's certainly very different. Wasn't sure what to make of it at first but as others have commented it does grow on you somewhat. Thanks for nominating

7/10 from me

Barry
01-03-2020, 23:55
This was new to me and I found it to be a bit of a mixed bag. Of the 10 tracks I only disliked 3 of them, but even so I'm not sure I could sit down and listen intently to them all. I think one has to be in the right sort of mood for this 'ambient' type of vocal singing - ultimately I found the atmospheric effect on the vocals tiresome.

6/10 from me, but thanks for the opportunity to listen to something new.