Fractal Mirror: Slow Burn 1

Fractal Mirror is an Amsterdam based trio having released their first album Strange Attractors in 2013 followed by the excellent Garden Of Ghosts a year later. Their new album Slow Burn 1 was released a few months back and it continues in a similar vein to Garden Of Ghosts, slow to mid-tempo art rock influenced by the likes of Roxy Music, Japan and Blackfield. This isn't an album full of solos and all out wankery, Dream Theater wannabes these guys are not. What you do have is a rich tapestry of sound often drenched with layers of Mellotron and thoughtful all around musicianship. From the meticulously played guitar to the understated vocals, which have a similarity to The Psychedelic Furs, this is wonderfully laid back music.

Lovely vocal harmonies and gently flowing instrumentation earmark The Beatles' influenced "Numbers", a beautifully serene tune with psychedelic influenced guitar and keyboards. This is calming and relaxing music that should, if the listener allows, be totally immersed in the band's free flowing atmospheres. "V838" is a little more upbeat but just as catchy featuring lighter keyboard melodies, lush Mellotron and a nice rhythmic groove. Again, the atmospheric guitar has a calming psychedelic undertone that is simply sublime. The slightly melancholic acoustic ballad "Floods" with its mesmerizing vocal arrangement and the mellow yet sonically dense "Miracle" are two more excellent tracks.

Some may not appreciate the band's slower laid back delivery but I find it totally refreshing, especially when my listening habits often take me to much more 'busier' music. Slow Burn 1 is like a cool summer breeze, a gentle reprieve in a world that rarely allows us to slow down and take a deep breath.

Track Listing:
1. Prelude
2. Miracle
3. Numbers
4. V838
5. Floods
6. Mist
7. Enemies
8. Embers
9. Fading
10. Artifacts
11. Universal

Added: July 3rd 2016
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1980
Language: english

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