God is an Astronaut: A Moment of Stillness
The style of music performed by Irish outfit God is an Astronaut falls under a number of categories that are somewhat constrictive and inaccurate, rarely doing their own individual style justice. Post-rock, shoegaze, nu-gaze, dreampop - none of these really capture it, which is especially apparent when you read of their live shows’ reputation for their visual as well as musical inventiveness. GiaA and similar artists such as Mogwai and Sigur Rós are nevetheless experimenting with how modern music can be redefined while still being melodic and are doing a fine job of it, as the EP A Moment of Stillness ably demonstrates.
The music itself is hard to describe - I can only wonder at how it would sound when performed live alongside the visual accompaniment because it feels for all the world like the soundtrack to a movie that has yet to be filmed, in a similar way to, say, Mercury Rev’s albums. GiaA, on this record at least, take a different tack to the ‘Rev in that the vocals are not a means of vocal delivery but more of another instrument that mixes in with guitar, drums and keyboards. The lack of lyrical content on offer here would otherwise threaten to take away the focus of the songs; especially when they are of the ambient variety that also casts away the pop/rock traditions of guitar and drums solos, not to mention conventional verse/chorus structures that we have become accustomed to.
The soundtrack feel of A Moment of Stillness however stems from the sensation that the music is telling a story, or at the very least, evoking a time, place or feeling in the listener’s own mind. Frozen Twilight builds on a hook that increases in volume and intensity before subsiding, an approach that is followed by the title track; phases of melancholy, mystery and more uplifting ones follow in turn, effortlessly blending to form a cohesive whole. The strumming of guitars and percussive sounds of drums and cymbals are familiar enough but the point at which the band succeed at individuality is where they take conventional equipment and use it to speak their own musical language. Simple arpeggios performed at a deliberate and measured pace give the listener time to familiarise themselves with the melodies, as they meander, rise and fall before evolving and changing form.
The stunning Forever Lost (reprise) adds piano lines and synthesised strings to the mix, before a repeated guitar riff is joined by a drumbeat that drives the song along. It feels like a contradiction to say that a song can be loud and intense yet comforting and serene, but that is exactly what it achieves: it’s one of those tunes that creates a soundscape in which you can immerse yourself. The same can be said of the whole record, as a matter of fact. On the first couple of listens it’s hard to differentiate between the individual tracks, but this is a triumph of conveying a less tangible feeling over stringing together a succession of radio-friendly numbers; at no point can it be described as drone-y or dull, particularly in the sparkly guitar of Elysian Fields or otherwordly atmospherics of the closing track Crystal Canyon.
Of course, this very ethereal and introspective style of music won’t endear itself to the general public because patience and open-mindedness is required to appreciate its subtle charms. The option of catchy and memorable lyrics is binned in favour of music that takes you on a journey to a place that is as-yet undiscovered by anyone apart from the musicians themselves; an unusual approach whose merits will be lost on many. Which is a shame, because the emotion and hidden intensity of this remarkable but all-too-short record deserves to be heard by a wider audience.
Track listing:
- Frozen Twilight
- A Moment of Stillness
- Forever Lost (reprise)
- Elysian Fields
- Crystal Canyon
Posted on February 8th, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
i havent heard anything off a moment of stillness.but i own “all is violent,all is bright” and was impressed with it.