ninehertz

Aurora Borealis are an interesting label. I've always thought of them as rather too 'kvlt' for their own good sometimes, but with releases ranging from KTL, Guapo, MOSS and Wolfmangler, I must admit AB does release an eclectic amount of music time and again.

Saying that, recently I've been quite disappointed with the output - not up to the quality of the past. However, with the release of the terrifying L'Acephale and now this release from Belgian folk drone act Silvester Anfang, Aurora Borealis seem to have got themselves sorted again.

'Kosmies Slachtaflal' (roughly translated as "cosmic slaughterhouse") isn't the easiest record to get into, and many might dismiss it as a rather boring non-descript album. On offer are two tracks: one around sixteen minutes, one around twenty-eight minutes. If I were to try to compare this odd record, I'd guess a lo-fi Asva mixed with Everlovely Lightningheart is the best I could hint at.

It's a record for quiet times, for sitting in the dark with candles lit. It's a great record in terms of it being so understated. A lack of strength is surprisingly a positive here - it feels so deliciously fragile. When you listen, you don't want to move just in case you break the music somehow.

The production is good enough, not amazing, and this adds, rather than detracts from the record. For certain bands an OK recording and a simple mix is all you need. Production can sometimes invade the music. Silvester Anfang's music would loose everything with lots of people involved in the recording process. Perhaps this, along with the obvious musical sounds evident of the album, showcases a folk perspective on recorded music.

An entrancing record that needs a good few listens in the right frame of mind to fully appreciate. It all makes sense when you're in that frame of mind though. Meditation is key.