Very few musicians are not indebted to Robin Guthrie's work of former Cocteau Twins trio. Robin released his debut solo album entitled 'Imperial,' on Bella Union a unique label started by himself and former Twin's teamster Simon Raymonde.
'Imperial,' is an instrumental ambient treasure, similar to the mood of 'The Moon And The Melodies' and 'Victorialand,' an album I slept through my teenage years to.
The opening track 'Imperial,' is filled with heavenly guitar arrangements shimmering about with a lightly audible drumbeat. 'Free Fall' uses piano and keyboards meshed with sprinkles of Guthrie's famous guitar shimmers, where as 'Crossing the Line' uses samples of Eno-eque white noise, as the song slowly takes form like a morphine induced, galloping Gazelle, calmly drives it's restored Impala into the horizon.
With the absence of Elizabeth Fraser's angelic voice skipping about, Robin utilizes his musical voice, to create lush landscapes, which pull the listen into pools of sound.
'Imperial,' continues to grow and fade with ambient paintings as the album falls to a close to a beautiful guitar anthem entitled 'Drift' on which Robin's lone distorted guitar gently weeps.
The album is packaged with a naked woman lying on the sun filled beach spangled with beaded dewdrops of the ocean water, glistening upon her body. Fans of the Twins, Harold Budd, Brian Eno and listeners not afraid of the calm slow dive into the unknown, should check out this effort. |