Antimatter
Saviour

THE REVIEW

The first album by Antimatter, the creation of Duncan Patterson and Mick Moss, was released in 2001. In the album, the two artists appear as multi-instrumentalists, experimenting with guitars, bass, and keyboards, making extensive use of electronics. Moss is also the band's singer, but the vocal section of the record is dominated by the voices of Michelle Richfield and Hayley Windsor. This won't be the last time female voices will be part of Antimatter's albums; on the contrary, they will become a constant presence.

The work has a truly interesting sound, the electronic textures are engaging and moving, the instruments are played without technicality, almost solely to accompany the sound of the keyboards and support their progression throughout the tracks, but this is more than sufficient; in this way, all the instruments indeed unite into a singular collective of sounds that transport the mind elsewhere. The variety of the tracks is pleasantly highlighted; there are songs with sweet atmospheres, others with reflective atmospheres, some almost distressing, tracks where electronics take the lead, and others where it is just a subtle background. Everything follows on homogeneously, carrying the listener in a river of emotions that flows throughout the 47 minutes of the album.

The album is very beautiful as a whole, but two tracks stand out above the average: "Over Your Shoulders" and "The Last Laugh." They are the only tracks where the male and female voices intertwine, and it's precisely this contrast that enhances the emotional intensity of the songs and elevates their level. The foundations are truly excellent and engaging, and the singing sits upon them in a fantastic way. Perhaps the only flaw of the album is precisely the limited use of vocal contrast between Mick, Michelle, and Hayley, which instead results in something truly excellent.

Indeed, a great debut for the Anglo/Irish group, perhaps not the band's best album, but when it comes to Antimatter, even a work that doesn't receive top marks is still of high quality.