Shora
Malval

I have always been very skeptical towards bands that radically change their sound or even genres with each new release. Shora hails from Geneva, and before this release, they had a noise-core album (in my opinion, one of the best in Europe) and an intriguing collaboration with the "godfather" of noise, Merzbow, where their songs changed and partly abandoned the noise-core matrix. Now in 2006, they have released this psychedelic and atmospheric album combined with a touch of electronics. Isis? Yes, but different. Let's say it's a magnificent middle ground between the tension of post-hardcore and the constructive, less physical vision of post-rock. At first glance, the tracks of Malval have all the characteristics of post-hardcore. It is only when you delve deeper into the artificial world of these four gems that their non-linear strength will reveal itself in all its splendor.

Shora's songs do not heavily rely on crescendos and melodic explosions typical of the genre. Their power comes much more from the fact that they remain extremely dynamic despite rhythmic breaks and almost subliminal melodies lingering in the back of your mind. "Siphrodias" is probably the best example: the guitars and rhythm section are creating an increasingly tense atmosphere, and just when you expect the song to explode into the heaviest part, there are a few seconds of almost absolute calm. It is details like this that make Malval as powerful as it is. Powerful music and at the same time entirely instrumental, with a suitably wide range (or magma, to use an anagram) of sonic colors using both traditional instruments and electronics. The double guitar lines are tightly intertwined and constantly shifting, keeping the listener in a hypnotic state. The bass is fluid and full, and the keyboards are used sparingly, adding an ethereal splendor, while the drumming strikes for its balance between rhythmic repetition and more complex patterns. The final result is dark and dense, requiring multiple listens to fully harmonize with this incredible record.

Malval lasts only 33 minutes (I challenge anyone to quantify this time during listening) that represent a single journey divided into four parts. "Parhelion" opens the trip with an increasingly tense introduction and flows into the most incredible post-rock I have ever heard (in some parts, it reminds me of Explosions in the Sky). "Arch & hum" slows time a bit, disguising a cooler, more mechanical rhythm with guitars perfectly chasing each other and relentless drumming. "Siphrodias" is a true ride where the guitars provoke the rhythm section with a crazy and repetitive tempo. "Klarheit" is a wonderful psychedelic piece that makes you lose notions of time and space, reminiscent of a cross between Pink Floyd's "A Saucerful of Secrets" and Tangerine Dream's "Alpha Centauri", try it to believe it. Finally, a surprise: the arrival of a female choir gracefully announcing the end of this work (as it should be defined!). I want to conclude by recommending listening to friends, enemies, strangers, children... in short, to everyone, because damn, the dazzling beauty (an adjective never more fitting) of this album is at the limits of objectivity!

Wittgenstein said: "language is a labyrinth of paths, you come from one side and you know your way, you reach the same point from another side and you no longer find your way...". Here, in the words of a philosopher, is the timeless charm of Malval.