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Rating:
With "The Golden Archipelago", Shearwater completes their environmentalist "mission" following the debut of "Palo Santo" and the convincing "Rook". Three concept albums that talk about the wonderful nature and especially the threats that we humans pose to it. In this third approach, they seem to take it even more seriously; it is indeed possible to purchase a 75-page collection full of images and various contents along with the album. This collection came about after our dear Jonathan Meiburg traveled to the most remote islands on the planet. The ecological and intellectual impact is really prominent; however, on a musical level, it doesn't quite hit the mark.
The album presents itself as a set of rather non-homogeneous pieces, often resulting in being boring and dull, with only a few more striking peaks. Certainly, I do not doubt the high compositional quality, because amid acoustic emphasis alternating with electric discharges, excellent piano performances, some noise sounds and orchestral hybrids, a truly remarkable sound fabric emerges. Also not to be overlooked is the high lyrical prowess carried forward by Meiburg's voice. But in general, the album ends up being really verbose and tiresome, mostly in tracks that seem almost pointless, take the monotonous "Landscape At Speed" and "Hidden Lakes", or the fluctuating and breathless "Corridors". The same happens in "God Made Me" and "Uniforms", which in the end catch fire with an instrumental burst that doesn't go unnoticed. The ability of the Artists stands out more, however, in the more delicate and intimate moments, where a kind of spiritualism comes to life supported by a blend of roaring rhythms and melodies.
"The Golden Archipelago" is indeed an emotional and gloriously lyrical album, but it features a suffocating and pompous production, except for some hidden "half-gems". After this naturalist stream, a change in themes and style for the future is already sensed, hoping not to encounter other pitfalls like this one.
Rating: 5.5/10
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