To the Edge of the Void

Melankolia is a Ethereal Dark Ambient/Neo-classical solo project from Lancaster, Ohio founded by Mike O'Brien. The bands acclaim is pretty big, and the response to his music has been great, I had to find out for myself how great it was, and they were right, is music is beyond great, it is beyond what I expected to hear, it is just a theme, many layers to everything, and nothing. It inspires me, it enlightens me, it brings me to a peace of mind. It can also bring depression, and other mental qualities but for me, it is a calming after a long day of shit. The sounds never seem to become too overwhelming, or powerful, or even too loud at all, it just seems to smoothly sail song after song this album, and bring you to a other state of mind. Orpheus Down is his latest, and I say it is one of my favorite ambient soloist album I heard so far. I know many ambient artists, and dabbled in ambient music myself, but this guy takes the throne. Its his first official full length, and I do not see a loose end, or even a note that seems to not flow well together and it just seems to perfectly intertwine with one an other song after song. Classical compositions, and piano can be found in his music, so even the old guy that lives down the street that listens to his Chamber music vinyls can appreciate this. I have happened to run across a few ads for a free collection of chamber music myself. I would have died to own them all! Well, the music is filled with a true sadness, a true hope... with most music, its more about what I hear then rather what I say, and this is one of those albums where I rather just listen and fall into the music then speak about it, because the feeling, and experience of listening to it, does not require words at all. The album is available at http://www.quartier23.eu and I read he also has shirts for 13$ at the moment. I cant wait to grab one once I have the money to do so. More links can be found at his sites on facebook, twitter, myspace. He truely has made a form of music that I believe has spanned the dawn of time. His sound is timeless, it is something I just cant thank him enough for. I tend to run into some bands I should have started to listen to, as soon as I got the album to listen to, but this album, I should have taken a listen to a LONG time ago. I will continue to spread his links, and help him as much as he can. Only in tune minds, and only people with a sense of knowledge of the genre of music, or are into a lot of the ambient bands out now can listen, and listen more then once. I hope this review helped him gain more fans, and the respect he deserves. He too knows how it is to be fucked by labels, and also have problems of his own, and I feel a lot of his own "personal thoughts, and feelings" in this music in more ways then one. Lets just call it, a musicians gut feeling. The music will continue from this man, and I hope to hear more classical, and misanthropic tunes to follow. Check out the links below, they will guide you, towards your light, or towards the dark... whichever you prefer. Melankolia's music will also be part of my collection, and I do not see that changing, even in the next 30 or 40 years from now. It will, live on... -D