IGOR KRUTOGOLOV

"White"

Auris Media / Topheth Prophet - 2007

CD

Surely one of the most active characters on the rising Israeli experimental scene, Igor Krutogolov has released various works under his own name, as well as collaborations with the likes of Chaos As Shelter, Bastard Noise, and many others. He is also a member of Agnivolok, The Igor Krutogolov Karate Band, New Jerusalem Defence Force, and countless more. "White" is his new solo release brought by Auris Media and notorious Topheth Prophet, and comes inside a very beautiful digipack, that marvellously sums up the atmosphere and meaning of the music itself: the only images to be seen are the ghostly shapes of a horse and a tree, and the booklet itself brilliantly contains plain white pages. Let the music speak, no words are needed.

Despite containing seven tracks, "White" is one extended composition that has to be listened from the beginning to the end, individual tracks cannot be picked alone, as they would sound like incomplete bits. Igor's music is pure ambient, with melancholic keyboards dominating the scene with a hypnotic and seducing mantra, while a constant sound of rain evokes a very intimate and special atmosphere. Field recordings, kids' voices, noises, bells and other instruments, such as strings and flute, add more enriching elements to this suggestive scenery. While the record actually lasts about 40 minutes, at the end of track 7 there's a ghost track made of some 30 minutes of sounds and silence, which anyway could have been cut out without regrets.

Generally speaking, a CD of modern ambient music should achieve at least two goals: catching the listener's attention for its whole running time, without sounding boring and repetitive, and trying to stick out of the mass of releases with a personal and distinctive style. Igor Krutogolov's new creation passed both tests with success, delivering a fascinating, atmospheric and beautiful work. "White" will appeal to most ambient, experimental, and even post-rock addicts, but also to anyone who loves to sit back and enjoy the bittersweet taste of melancholy on a rainy day.

- Simon V.

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