BLACKFIELD

Some people are, quite simply, meant to make music together. One such example is the sporadic project between Porcupine Tree main man Steven Wilson and Israeli musician Aviv Geffen. And their masterful songwriting talents combine once again for 'Welcome To My DNA', the long awaited third full length release under the Blackfield moniker, a whole four years after sophomore album 'Blackfield II'. Has it been worth waiting for? Oh yes indeed, it most certainly has. As much as I love Porcupine Tree, and have done for many years, I've always found Wilson's compositional prowess to flourish more within the context of this joint project - that is to say, his songwriting skills alongside Geffen have always resulted in a more straightforward aesthetic peripheral to the expected progressive twists and turns of his day-job band. In other words, Blackfield have always been more about unequivocal music with precise song structures. More alt-rock than progressive I guess you could argue - the same as what Paul Masvidal did away from Cynic with Aeon Spoke. Having said all that, this third outing for Blackfield has been composed almost entirely autonomously by Geffen; Wilson has only contributed songwriting-wise this time round with fourth track 'Waving'. However, I stick by what I say as 'Welcome To My DNA' still pertains to what's become established, and instantly discernible, as Blackfield's sound. Well, there has been a degree of progression in the sense of a more refined execution and occasional musical departures from what one might typically associate with their sound, such as on the rather fantastic semi-instrumental sixth track 'Blood' with an opening passage (and repeated theme) that sounds vaguely reminiscent in style to Israeli prog/folk metallers Orphaned Land (coincidentally, Wilson mixed their last album), before interjections of layered Muse-like vocal harmonies. Geffen is quoted on the press sheet accompanying this promo that 'Welcome To My DNA is "an album about loneliness and sadness" and such lyrical themes are reflected in the music throughout with the melancholic mood occasionally broken by uplifting and quasi-optimistic moments like in 'Oxygen'. Overall, though, whether the songs exude melancholy or emotive elevation, the listening experience proves to be an uplifting one and it's nothing but gratifying to have this third slab of musical sublimity from Blackfield. Awesome.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Kscope

Album

WELCOME TO MY DNA

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

39:49

RELEASE DATE:

28th March 2011

TRACK LISTING

1) Glass House
2) Go To Hell
3) Rising of the Tide
4) Waving
5) Dissolving with the Night
6) Blood
7) On The Plane
8) Oxygen
9) Zigota
10) DNA

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

UK

"...whether the songs exude melancholy or emotive elevation, the listening experience proves to be an uplifting one and it's nothing but gratifying to have this third slab of musical sublimity from Blackfield."