Silent Skies: Nectar

Silent Skies is an ambient project featuring Evergrey’s Tom S. Englund and multi-instrumentalist Vikram Shankar.

Ambient music isn’t generally something I listen to a lot of, especially full albums of ambient music, however being an Evergrey Fan I was keen to check this release out.

Nectar gets underway with one of the best new songs I’ve heard this year, "Fallen From Heart". I’m no stranger to the vocal talents of Englund so his performance on this track isn’t a surprise to me. However, what is a surprise is how well the instrumentation and arrangement complements his vocal style- this holds true for most of the album too; there is a real synergy between the two musicians. Englund delivering great vocals is a common tread through the entire album, but as good as Englund’s vocal performance is, the hero of the release for me is Shankar- he has created a rich tapestry of sounds and moods which create the perfect backdrop for Englund to showcase his soulful vocals. The luscious arrangements have space to breathe. They have light and shade. They build up and retreat. I really appreciate the meticulous effort put into the production on this album too- little touches, like the amount of reverb/delay/echo effects on the vocals and the various instruments are all perfect, making the album especially great to listen to on headphones.

There isn’t a single weak track on the album, but "Fallen from the Heart", "Let it Hurt" and "Leaving" are my favorites. The biggest complement I can pay this album is that it just demands to be listened to- since receiving a pre-release stream of this album, I’ve found myself wanting to listen to this album a lot. There’s something addictive about the melancholy, cinematic arrangements -I guess the mellow/peaceful style means that it is something you can listen to in most moods and situations. I’ll be seeking out a physical copy of this album without doubt.

Highly recommended for fans of Tom S. Englund, and open-minded metal/prog fans who can appreciate well composed, but particularly chilled out music.

Track List

1. Fallen From Heart
2. Taper
3. Neverending.
4. Let It Hurt
5. The One
6. Leaving
7. Cold
8. Better Days
9. Closer
10. Nectar

Added: January 17th 2022
Reviewer: Chris Reid
Score:
Related Link: Band @Napalm Records
Hits: 2409
Language: english

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