LETHE – Alienation

This is my first encounter with the splendid experimental outfit known as Lethe and judging by the quality and infinite depth of this, their third full-length album, I feel utterly compelled to check their previous two offerings out.

Alienation is anything but predictable or mundane, and the very act of labeling this stellar disc is proving pretty damn difficult, which is undoubtedly a huge part of its dark charm and engrossing aura. Weaving strands of eclectic pop, morose and trippy rock, icy cold electronica, and subtle hints of avantgarde metal together and basically letting their imagination and creativity run wild without any regards for conventional song structures and norms is more or less what this incredibly talented duo dabbles in. Melancholy and groove, hypnotic vocals and trance-inducing melodies, compelling atmospheres that swallow you whole and some resolutely out-there arrangement await the listener, and there is class and sophistication aplenty to this emotionally raw album. The majority of tracks almost feverishly tug at the heartstrings with the ones titled ‘Erosion’, ‘Crossroads’, and ‘When It’s Over’ being the best and most effectively mesmeric of the whole bunch. The glossy production is sublime too, and Alienation truly is a wonderful example of how to combine grand ideas, intriguing idiosyncratic traits, and broad emotive strokes to stunning effect. Fans of Portishead, Ulver, Massive Attack, and Manes (at their most eccentric and eerie) seriously ought to invest in this gem.