A Mountain of One - Institute Of Joy

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  • It's not hard to see why A Mountain of One generate so much love in cosmic disco land. The duo's sound belongs to what you might call a distinctly British strain of dark, swirling psychedelic rock that hits its stride with Pink Floyd and gets carried into the present via groups like Bark Psychosis, Spiritualized and the Verve. It's a strain that favors churning, long-form grooves and emphasizes innovative production and orchestration over complicated songwriting—largely the same set of characteristics that describe trippy dance music. On their first proper full-length, A Mountain of One appear to have tipped the scales between band and studio project present on their earlier EPs, appearing here as a full-fledged rock group, which doesn't necessarily always work in their favor. (One wonders if an introduction of a studio-project approach might have effectively reigned in some of the denser moments of soaring rawk excess.) More often than not the group aims to convey some dense and imposing space like a grand cathedral, crafting tunes replete with ghostly sheets of organs and synthesizers, as well as theatrical choirs that sing of longing and the voyage home. The result is often an kind of icey spirituality, white like marble, but at times also an almost orchestral stiffness, the gestural formality of Catholic ritual—even though the album title alludes to a kind of Pentecostal fervor. Following a cinematic organ intro, the gorgeous one-two punch of "Sky Is Folding" and the first single "Bones" conjures up a world of endless murky twilight, full of tolling bells, wrought-iron gargoyles, ravens of oil-black moving through a sandstorm. While often the production and performance stand out more than the songwriting, "Bones" is an exceptional execution of both dimensions working in tandem: its overdubbed flourishes never drown the song, as occasionally happens elsewhere, but manage to artfully dive in and out of the tune so as to vividly develop its spooky charms. Some of the album's strongest moments are in the atmospheric instrumental sections, like the driving prog jam "Hail Pleasure," or "In Our Lifetime," which opens with a churning tidal sway, but then leaves its elemental origins behind for a sluggish post-punk prowl accented by hothouse piano and balearic guitar scratch. Then, of course, the tune gathers steam for liftoff, spreading its wings for the sky. The trippy bombast reaches top form on "River Music," with its over-the-top, candlelit catharsis. Toward album's end, the group's psychedelic and goth leanings find their most explicit intersection on a fiery cover of Leonard Cohen's "Who By Fire," with its distinctly Dark Side of the Moon grandeur. Cover songs are often excellent insights into an artist's creative horizon, helping the listener to draw a constellation of influences and inspirations. This cover embodies so much of A Mountain of One's musical spirit that if it didn't already exist, it would be necessary to invent it.
  • Tracklist
      01. Intro 02. Sky Is Folding 03. Bones 04. Lie Awake 05. Green 06. Highs of the Sun 07. Hall Pleasure 08. River Music 09. Purple 10. In Our Lifetime 11. Ahead of the Curve 12. Who By Fire 13. White Spider 14. Knife of Sultan
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