iamthemorning - Lighthouse (2016)

Desde Rusia nos viene este disco maravilloso que seguramente será una de las mejores delicias de este espectacular año 2016. Otra obra maestra musical llena de melancolía, belleza, excelentes y cristalinas melodías y voces, más las colaboraciones de gente como Mariusz Duda (Riverside), Colin Edwin y Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) en un proyecto coon un potencial increíble. Esto no creo que lo consigan en otro lado, al menos por ahora. Un disco maravilloso que no pueden dejarlo pasar. Muy pero muy recomendado!

Artista: iamthemorning

Álbum: Lighthouse
Año: 2016
Género: Crossover Prog
:Duración: 47:13
Nacionalidad: Rusia

Lista de Temas:
1. I Came Before the Water Pt I 01:41
2. Too Many Years 05:10
3. Clear Clearer 04:35
4. Sleeping Pills 03:43
5. Libretto Horror 02:13
6. Lighthouse (feat. Mariusz Duda) 06:13
7. Harmony 05:18
8. Matches 04:18
9. Belighted 03:26
10. Chalk and Сoal 04:57
11. I Came Before the Water Pt II 02:56
12. Post Scriptum 02:43

Alineación:
- Marjana Semkina / lead & backing vocals
- Gleb Kolyadin / grand piano, keyboards
With:
Mariusz Duda / vocals (6)
Perezvony Choir / chorus vocals (4)
Larisa Yarutskaya / choir conductor (4)
Vlad Avy / guitars
Evan Carson / bodhrán, percussion
Andres Izmailov / harp
Tatiana Rezetdinova / flute
Roman Erofeev / clarinet
Sergey Korolkov / trumpet
Oksana Stepanova / bombarde
Colin Edwin / bass
Gavin Harrison / drums
Strings Ensemble:
Anastasia Razumets, Aleksandra Svidunovich, Zhuldyz Bukina, Tatiana Kuvaitseva / violin
Philipp Saulin / 1st violin
Aleksander Bogdanovich, Ksenia Ivanova / viola
Mikhail Ignatov, Evgenia Ignatova / cello
Alexander Kuznetcov / double bass

Ya el Conejo, allá lejos y hace tiempo, había reseñado maravillado el tremendo disco de esta banda del 2012, en sus tremendos comentarios había dicho lo siguiente:

un joven ensamble ruso conformado por estudiantes de música clásica, oriundo de la súper norteña ciudad de San Petersburgo, formado allí por 2010. Dos años más tarde, sacarían "~", su primer trabajo de estudio.
A qué suena iamthemorning entonces? No sé bien como encasillarlos, juntan muchas cosas de música acústica y de cámara, minimalismo, folk acústico (existe un término así?), ambient, post rock al estilo de Sigur Rós y varias pinceladas de complejidad típicas del rock progresivo, tomando a Tool como mayor referencia (sacando la parte pesada del asunto, por supuesto).
Ya dije a qué suena. Cómo suena? De manera delicada, etérea, luminosa, angelical, majestuosa, emotiva, por momentos melancólica y conmovedora. Como estar en una cabaña mirando el mar, en un día completamente nublado, viendo cómo una tormenta se está por terminar de armar. Así de cursi como lo planteo.
(Sé que nombré a Tool antes, pero entraría más que nada en lo que a la parte rítmica, compases enrevesados y letras abstractas de Maynard James Keenan concierne; si me preguntan, Sigur Rós es la primer comparación que se me ocurre (quizás sacando el elemento Shoegaze del medio?). Por las dudas, a modo de disclaimer dejo la lista de los artistas que la banda cita como influencias ^^ :Arstidir, Bjork, Tool, Porcupine Tree, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, Nick Drake, 65daysofstatic, Dikta, Mum, Simon & Garfunkel, Mike Oldfield, Brian Eno, Michael Brook, Rabih Abou-Khalil)

El Conejo


A lo dicho le agregamos lo publicado en Wikipedia como para entender mejor cómo viene esto:

iamthemorning Es una banda progresiva de cámara rusa formada en 2010 por la cantante Marjana Semkina y el pianista Gleb Kolyadin whilst Gleb estudiantes del Conservatorio de San Petersburgo.
El dúo se formó a principios del 2010. Su nombre se tomó de la canción "I Am the Morning" del álbum de debut de Oceansize, Effloresce.
La banda auto-publicó su álbum de debut, ~, en abril 2012.1
El segundo álbum de estudio, Belighted, fue publicado por Kscope en septiembre 2014. Grabado y mezclado en Londres por Marcel van Limbeek (Tori Amos)y con la participación del batería Gavin Harrison de Porcupine Tree. Su tercer álbum de estudio, Lighthouse, cuenta con el bajista Colin Edwin, también de Porcupine Tree, y el vocalista Mariusz Duda de Riverside además de Harrison y Limbeek. La banda han auto-producido sus tres álbumes.
La banda apoyó las giras de otoño de Riverside, Árstíðir y Gazpacho.

Wikipedia

Por lo comentado hasta aquí sacamos en claro que la banda está enfocada a la música de cámara moderna, su música lleva gran cantidad de carga emocional y estilísitca, siendo una mezcla muy interesante, y está liderada por una cantane y un pianista, mientras van sumando instrumentos según las composiciones. Bueno, la banda rusa ha tenido algunos cambios desde entonces, en principio ahora se conforma plenamente como dúo y el resto son músicos ocasionales, que ya no se compone únicamente por músicos de cámara y su sonido suena más moderno, aunque su esencia sigue intacta. A ello se le suma la colaboración del talentoso Mariusz Duda (líder de la banda polaca Riverside, recordemos que esta banda fue telonera de los polacos en algunas de sus giras) más elementos e intrumentos de música clásica y moderna, más una voz muy dúctil, emocional y teatral que me parece muy similar a la gran Christina Booth de Magenta, grandes composiciones llenas de nostalgia y dulzura, y obtendrán este estupendo, inmenso, grandioso disco.
Pero las colaboraciones no terminan allí, también los tenemos a los Porcupine Tree Gavin Harrison en la batería y Colin Edwin en el bajo, y el canadiense Vlad Avy en la guitarra

Iamthemorning es un dúo natal de San Petersburgo, cuna de numerosos e influyentes escritores y compositores de música clásica a lo largo de su historia. Una ciudad que ha tenido varios nombres según el gobernador que lideraba el frío país ruso, esos cambios de nombre también está ligado a la historia musical. Desde el romanticismo, pasando por el clasicismo y neoclasicismo, hasta la edad contemporánea en la que vivimos hoy día.
Cuando tratamos un disco de estilo progresivo y pensamos en sus orígenes, siempre se vienen a la mente los Pink Floyd o Deep Purple, pero, ¿son esos realmente los verdaderos orígenes del progresivo? Esta respuesta da como resultado un debate sin fin, pero una a tener muy en cuenta es la que yo le doy: la música clásica.
Pasajes instrumentales, de larga duración, con un elemento solista que marca el corazón de la obra, trabajos únicos e irrepetibles que pasan a la historia… todas esas similitudes y más, son las que tienen la música clásica y el estilo progresivo, ya sea rock o metal. Y este grupo es la mejor forma de entender lo que digo, con apenas tres discos en tres años desde su formación, las ideas vuelan en sus mentes tomando forma musical en la que se desarrollan ideas muy trabajadas y de una calidad muy elevada.
En este caso, “Lighthouse” se centra en los pasajes a piano (grabado con piano de cola) y voz femenina, bien podría no tener cabida en un medio especializado en rock y metal como este, pero por algo he hecho esta introducción a modo de justificación. Si buscáis algo como rock progresivo del estilo de Riverside o Porcupine Tree, ya digo que porque haya miembros de estas bandas entre los músicos de sesión, no lo vais a encontrar. Iamthemorning es un grupo con ideas muy propias y bien encadenadas, sin parecerse a nadie en particular pero con muchas influencias de la rama clásica de sus ancestros, sobre todo de Piotr Tchaikovski.
Los temas que más pueden gustar a los seguidores de nuestra web son, el homónimo al disco, con un bonito final en la que la voz de Duda aporta frescura junto a los teclados y batería a medio tiempo; “Harmony”, seguramente en la que más resquicios progresivos contemporáneos se puedan encontrar, un tema muy bueno, además de ser el único instrumental con prácticamente todos los instrumentos invitados a la vez. “Chalk And Coal”, tema del lyric video de adelanto, muy cerca también del jazz, aquí el piano y batería se mezclan con el contrabajo y la voz.
Además de estos temas, los cinco primeros contienen mucho protagonismo vocal de la compositora, así como el acompañamiento de su compañero con el piano de cola. Es hasta ahora, este tercer disco, el momento en el que más tiempo han demostrado sus cualidades como dúo profesional, especial atención al registro que se alcanza en “Libretto Horror” y la corística “Sleeping Pills”. Dos de los grandes temas de la otra cara que muestra el disco.
En conjunto, un tercer trabajo de mucha altura, con una producción increíble, al que le doy una nota de un 8,1/10.

Moralabad

Si con todo esto no los convecí, les dejo algunos comentarios en inglés para que se saquen las dudas...

The classically-inclined progressive Russian duo Iamthemorning expands its already broad palette with its third album, Lighthouse. Porcupine Tree members Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison also contribute, as well as Mariusz Duda of Polish prog metal band Riverside and solo project Lunatic Soul. Opening with the sounds of water and Marjana Semkina's crystalline vocals, the album picks up steam with ambling piano-driven songs ("Too Many Years"), intricate instrumentals ("Harmony") and sweeping cinematic moments ("I Came Before The Water Pt. 2"). It's due out on April 1 on Kscope.

Chris Steffen

Russian duo IAMTHEMORNING have been around for a handful of years at this point, and appears to build up an increasingly greater audience and name recognition as the years and albums go by at that. At this point, presumably, with a success and reach they couldn't envision attaining when they released their debut album "~" back in 2012. "Lighthouse" is their third full length stdio production, and is set to be released through renowned UK label Kscope in April 2016.
While I'm personally much more prone to enjoy material of a darker general mood and atmosphere, the often light toned, ethereal creations of iamthemorning have charmed me from the first time I encountered their music. Much of it due to the vocals of Marjana Semkina, as I have something of a weak spot for high quality vocalists. There's also the general tendency of this band to incorporate elements from classical music into their compositions that is a feature that sets them apart, first and foremost due to the manner in which they do so.
The thing is, I guess, that the core traits of the compositions of this band is so compelling in the first place. Revolving around the stunning voice of Marjana and the mainly classical music oriented wandering piano motifs of Gleb Kolyadin, the heart and soul of their compositions is so breathtaking in it's simple beauty, and when additional elements are brought into play the end result can be stunning. Sometimes with a relatively simple detail, like the majestic orchestration replacing the piano as the supplemental backing for the vocals, which works great, or when orchestration, delicate violin textures or plucked strings supplement the piano movements to create arrangements one might well describe as classical chamber pop. But also when guest drummer Harrison flavor the proceedings with his elegant, sophisticated yet quirky drum patterns, often in tight interplay with the bass as well as when floating, haunting guitar solo textures are applied the end result tends to be beautiful, even if there are darker undercurrents at hand. The whispered voice effects on the first single from this CD, Chalk & Coal, a detail that doesn't inspire to positive thinking nor come with associations toward someone's happy place, to put it that way.
Like all albums I have encountered by this band so far, "Lighthouse" comes across as a quality production. The blend of controlled, beautiful vocals, various instrument details and arrangements with a clear classical music source of origin and the unobtrusive and elegant inclusion of rock music elements is as compelling as ever. A timeless album of quality music, especially for those with a soft spot for high quality female lead vocals, and one that merits a check also by those intrigued by artists incorporating elements from classical music into a rock music universe in a fairly novel manner - as well as those who find rock music making it's way into more of a classical music oriented context to be interesting.

Olav Martin Bjørnsen

The young duo of classically trained musicians from St. Petersburg, Russia, Gleb KOLYADIN and Marjana SEMKINA, are back again with their third album (not including an EP and live recording) since 2012, this one enlisting the capable help of seasoned veterans Gavin HARRISON on drums, Colin EDWIN (PORCUPINE TREE) on bass, and Canadian Vlad Avy on guitar. They even got RIVERSIDE's Mariuz DUDA to contribute a vocal to one song! The most striking difference in the feel and sound of this album comes in a shift back toward the classical music sounds and structures that made their debut album such a striking and refreshing surprise to the music world. I am not sure if this shift back is due to fan response to their more rock-oriented second album, Belighted, or their own gut feelings, but surely the choice of hiring the engineering talents of Tori AMOS-experienced Marcel Van LIMBEEK and Neil PICKLES for the mixing and mastering helped. The KSCOPE connection is great, and the studio recording and production is amazing, but I like this 'new' return to their original sound much better, and I'm sure the production has something to do with that. Gleb's classically-influenced piano playing is prominent throughout the album--which is a strength--especially if you've seen some of the videos of their live performances: iamthemorning music is very powerful when it is broken down into the acoustic versions in which they were composed.
1. "I Came Before the Water, Part I" (1:41) opens with rippling stream water sounds before Marjana's angelic voice enters in her upper registers, announcing her folk-mythic presence while being accompanied only by orchestral strings and quiet electronic keyboard. Awesome start! I am excited! This sounds like a very mature, very composed, very centered iamthemorning. (9/10)
2. "Too Many Years" (5:10) is a piano and orchestra supported song which is notable for Marjana's layering of multiple vocal tracks of her own voice in several parts for some harmony support to her lead--to amazing effect. I can't remember hearing her do this with such great outcome before! How she has grown and matured! The contributions of bass, drums and strings are wonderfully enriching to the mood and the late arrival of the double-reed French bombard is awesome. Great song. (9/10)
3. "Clear Clearer" (4:35) opens with eery background noises, electric bass, woodwinds and electric keyboard establishing a mysterious musical foundation. At 0:45 Marjana joins in with a more powerful (but not dominating) version of her voice. After another 45 seconds hand drums, piano, and other metallic percussives bring up the decibels level a bit. This is the first occasion on the album in which I am reminded of the waltzy song construction style that was so joyfully present on the iamthemorning debut album, ~. Soloing electric guitar takes front and center in the final stretch over Marjana's whispering vocalizions panning right and left in the background, though all instruments eventual fade and drop out to allow for a charming little woodwind finale. Brilliant song! Great, memorable melodies! (10/10)
4. "Sleeping Pills" (3:44) opens with Marjana's angelic voice holding these amazing notes, singing like an angel straight into one's soul, with some simple piano chords arpeggiating beneath. Background vocals--(Marjana's)--join in as singular classical instruments also make their presences known as the chorus begins. Then, with the second verse we are treated to a JOHN TOUT-like piano solo and haunting background violin solo just before the Perezvony Choir enters to perform its chant-like magic. Stunning! Hand drums, piano, fretless bass, and drum kit join and gradually build in intensity to the song's (IMO, premature) end. Gorgeous! And so refreshingly ingenious. (10/10)
5. "Liberetto Horror" (2:14) has a kind of cabaret-burlesque feel to it--frolicking piano, sexy vocals--only the background vocals and flutes and, later, strings, shift us away from this stage-like tease extravaganza. But it's too late: Marjana and Gleb have long ago seduced me. Fun song! (9/10) 6. "Lighthouse" (6:19) opens with a kind of SATIE/CLAUDE BOLLING-like jazzified classical piano speeding up and down the keyboard before Marjana's whispery voice enters front and center (singing right into my ear! So intimate it makes me blush! Only KATE BUSH has been able to effectively do this before. As a matter of fact, the KATE BUSH comparisons should consider as the piano and voice combination is strikingly similar to a few of Kate's bare bones piano and voice song styles). At 3:55 the duet format ends as strummed guitars, strings, harp, drums, bass and background vocals join in- -eventually giving center stage to a beautiful if less-forward-than-we're-all-used-to vocal by RIVERSIDE's Mariuz DUDA. When you know his voice is coming, you expect some heavy, dramatic shift, but instead the vocal and song play out very smoothly, almost soporifically. The amazing first half makes this song a timeless classic, a master class in classical folk duet; aside from the wonderful wisps of background vocal work (by multiple tracks of Marjana and some Mariuz), the second half is a little too mellow and monotonous. I feel the anticipation (and expectation) for something more emotional, even bombastic. It could've been better but it's still amazing. (Is that possible?) (9/10)
7. "Harmony" (5:19) is an instrumental that has a wonderfully symphonic feel that is quite strongly reminiscent of John TOUT-era RENAISSANCE. John HACKETT-like flute solos, tuned percussion, and, eventually, full rock band and solo electric guitar grace this gorgeous song. (No offense, Marjana, but Gleb has the potential for a solo album/career.) (As do you!) (10/10)
8. "Matches" (4:18) is the first song on the album which opens with a very familiar feel and style--fast-moving piano fingering with Marjana's delightfully acrobatic voice dancing a bit too far back in the mix (I've always wished her voice to be a little more front and center, a little more over the piano in the mix). Switch to electric piano is interesting, but then back to grand piano as the drums and fretless bass of Gavin HARRISON and Colin EDWIN, respectively, take prominence (though only for less than a minute before the song fades out). (8/10)
9. "Belighted" (3:20) opens with Marjana's delicate voice singing with the accompaniment of only a harp for the first verse. Glockenspiel (electronic keyboard?) and background voices join in for the second verse. Then full strings orchestra makes their entry for the chorus and successive verses. Enter bass, hand drums, and woodwinds and what a magical weave of dreaminess we have just before Gleb's piano and electric guitar take the fore ground in some nice counter-melody play. Wow! I don't want it to end. This band, these songwriters are at the very top of their game!!! (10/10)
10. "Chalk and Coal" (4:57) is a dramatic, almost Broadway show tune-like composition that contains a strain of spoken vocals that are treated to sound like whispered or muted radio samples throughout the background of the song. It's brilliant!--as are the trumpet soli in the second and fourth minutes. Electric guitar I also love the decision to have a long fadeout with Gleb's jazzy piano riffs repeated over and over while only being accompanied by a flanged percussion hit as time keeper: Simple, bold and powerful. Incredible! (9/10)
11. "I Came Before the Water, II" (2:56) is an incredibly emotional near-a cappella performance by Marjana-- the only instrumental support coming from a very slow build of orchestral strings that begins in the second minute--just as Marjana shifts her singing into a very high octave (she opened the first verse of this reiteration of the album's opening song & lyric in a mid-range voice). The song closes with the same water sounds from the opening song. Stunning! Utterly gut-wrenching! And haunting! (in a good way) (10/10)
12. "Post Scriptum" (2:44) is the album's finale in which Marjana's voice is used to wordlessly sing the song's Russian folk melody in tandem with strings and woodwind while Gleb tickles the ivories and Colin and hold their steady beat behind. Haunting. (10/10)
In my humble opinion, Gleb and Marjana have come out of their shell, into their own state as mature butterflies, to fulfill the amazing and unique potential they exploded onto the scene with back in 2012. The return to piano- and "classical folk"-based sound styles is much welcomed but more, the display of ingenious musical ideas is made felt throughout each and every song--so many choices in structure, sound and restraint that only masters of their craft can ever achieve. And yet, they are still so young! With their confidence and creative beasts released; I can see a long string of masterpieces in iamthemorning (or Gelb Kolyadin and Marjana Semkina)'s long and illustrious career(s).
Without hesitation, this is a five star masterpiece of progressive rock music, essential for any prog lover's music collection. Marjana and Gleb are focusing their energies on giving attention to the under-attended ills of those suffering from psychological illness, so, for those of you with a friend or loved one with some mental illness, this album might just be a perfect balm ... or tonic. Compassionately conceived and intended, Beautifully rendered, this is music for healing and wholeness.

Drew Fisher

In describing Iamthemorning's latest offering, my esteemed PA colleague and fellow reviewer Windhawk (love that name!) was, as per his usual self, bang on once again, certainly in terms of prog-rock analysis and its lover, prog appreciation! His thoroughly novel descriptive of where prog could go, a future yield in unchartered territories and remaining fresh and vibrant, would be by incorporating rock into classical music and not vice versa where many a times it has occasionally succeeded (the Beatles, the Moody Blues, Procol Harum) and yet many failed (Ekseption, Deep Purple, ELP) , his final quote of ' rock music making its way into more of a classical music oriented context to be interesting' makes utter sense . A clear moment of un-silent lucidity.
Iamthemorning did not hit me until now, a strange thing for me who loves woman vocals but I was not convinced yet to push the send button. Another PA comrade, BrufordFreak made true on his moniker and pounded a freaked out positive review that really blew my Calvin Klein socks off. And, upon his moment of lucidity, I took the plunge. A prog universe where piano and voice reign supreme needs to be real damn good to pass the grade, clear melodies, stunning technique and voice modulation as well as some serious passion is what is needed and delivered effortlessly, in spades! Both angelic vocalist Marjana Semenka and the genial pianist Gleb Kolyadin simply sparkle in their respective realm, and then consider (another clincher for me) the presence of Mariusz Duda, Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison to bolster terrific melodies and impeccable classical-prog with lush orchestrations that would make the La Scala di Milano tremble. There are plenty of dense moments that can and will enthrall and transport the listener to some faraway perspective, both exploratory as well as comfortable.
The waters splash lustily, crashing on the jetty that guards the lighthouse, the beacon of hope and salvation for all the errant ships in the night. Through the opaque mist, the billowing emotion rolls forth like a sonic fog of impenetrable allure, gently propelled by glittering piano runs and guided celestially by a voice that both appeases and bewilders. At times, the arrangements are haunting to the point of soporific ('Sleeping Pills'), occasionally cleverly experimental ('Too Many Years') and even outright enigmatic ('Clear Clearer'), always showcasing Edwin's discreet rumble and Harrison's deft stick work, amid the eclectic keyboard-driven sprawl that navigates seemingly without any effort.
The title track 'Lighthouse' is a case in point, armed with a classical melody festooned with gilded beauty, Marjana's poignant voice spread between piano keys, all extremely restrained and unrushed, slowly building catharsis , forcing attention onto the melancholic lyrics. When the languorous voice of Riverside's Mariusz Duda holds hands with Marjana's, an aching sense of cleaning purification takes root, weaving into each other with swan-like grace. On the instrumental 'Harmony', a true highpoint is reached, a savvy and detailed work of pastoral beauty, where a flute and a marimba-like sound roost, morphing into a strong grand piano lead that shows off Gleb's considerable classic training. Gavin does his jazzy stick work quite well for a 'rock' drummer (lol) , as guest guitarist Vlad Avy shoots off an electric guitar salvo that is brief but to the point. On the terrific 'Matches', you kind of imagine Kate Bush with a piano player, in a jazzier environment that to my utter surprise, invites an electric piano to take the reins briefly, only for the grand to reappear and reinforce the initial fire. Simple and beautiful.
Even more celestial is the track 'Belighted',(interestingly enough: the title of their previous opus), a sweet fluffy cloud of orchestral passion that anesthetizes the soul into a sense of rapture and epiphany. Almost medieval at first with harp and glockenspiel carrying the speckled voice to uplifting pinnacles, then the sweeping orchestral adornments add the necessary 'grandeur' to the entire experience. Yes, this should have been longer and more developed but who cares, it's gorgeous on its own! Its companion piece (or so it seems), 'Chalk & Coal' has almost a torch singer quality, with whispered voices and a forlorn trumpet blaring its painful lament, a soundtrack to some theater play in some faraway time and place, oblivious to today. Jangly piano and screeching lead guitar season the dish with peppery passion, but the sad trumpet shrieks on, unrelenting as Gleb adds some jazzy piano fills. Oh yeah and Gavin does his jazz thingy again (I bet he was smiling just like Colin always does). Truly sensational.
A reprise of the short overture comes in the form of 'I Came before the Water 'part2', Marjana's voice impossibly high and yet precise, gussied up with massive orchestral decorations, while 'Post-Scriptum' is exactly that, a fitting and flattering finale to a masterpiece of modern prog music, what with Colin Edwin's rubbery bass guiding the road ahead like a lighthouse (hmmm), slick drumming, slicker piano and total bravura.
The artwork is stunning, the production flawless, the playing beyond class. Something clicked and my prog vessel will not crash on the rocky grove, as I have seen the bright light through the fog. Thank you , my dearPA colleagues for being my guiding light.
4.5 / 5 beacons

Thomas Szirmay

I am not a big fan of this " Folkish" styling, for starters, yet being a Colin Edwin avid follower, I acquired this IAMTHEMORNING, 2016, "Lighthouse", in which he (among Gavin Harrison), is featured.
Anyway, I am quiet realistic about the whole thing. I am not expecting something beyond IAMTHEMORNING's natural means of music song writing expression (as their previous 2 releases), but some extraordinary performances in those morning lands.
Well as expected these "high level" performances do happen and quiet frequently as to expand the music composition itself to other depths.
The Folk/Rock style covers most of its general musical atmospheres. The sweet female voice introduces every tale like composition and from there each story develops both in direction and environment, yet the acoustic instruments are almost ever present including a story telling piano counterpointing the sweet voice's lyrics.
If music comparissons allowed, it all feels like a less experimental Judy Dyble and more than once overly sweet for its not that high epic like momentums. But as I mentioned I am no big fan of this styling.
Rating it in the same tenor is unfair, in fact I hate those reviews where they start the same, boasting how they do not enjoy or completely ignore the artist or style they are reviewing and rate the whole thing from their own personal guts. Well I would not fall in those pits!
Excellent performances that construct very solid and intelligent musical structures that somehow always find their way home to simplier and more earthly flavors, which are unique in their FOLK/JAZZ/ROCK musical idiom. As also offering a more than a fair share of stylistic detours and stop overs to keep its predictability to the minimum. And of course the sound engineering is superb.
Up to know my favorite "iamthemorning" release and a perfect addition to my collection.
****4/5 PA stars.

Alan

In Lighthouse, Iamthemorning bet on emotion and get a tremendous return on investment.
The duo excels in building a technically mature, yet heartfelt album that displays unequivocal emotional intelligence. The almost fragile vocals of Marjana Semkina paint each song with angelic, ethereal melodies that seem able to seduce even the most predisposed listener. Her ability to switch from light-hearted jazzy moods to dark folk lullabies captures the imagination. Gleb Kolyadin delivers classical music piano sessions filtered through jazz, folk and progressive rock with fluctuations between cinematic and musical landscapes. Think of a combination of Lebowksi's 'Cinematic' album, prog-lite versions of Gryphon's 'Red Queen to Gryphon Three' and Anglagard's 'Hybris' with vocals by Kate Bush, Tori Amos and (a female version of) Peter Hammill.
And there is more to it: grand pianos and chants would make tracks like ''Sleeping Pills'' perfect for film scores and dark-cabaret moments in ''Libretto Horror'' may bring memories of Devil Doll. The rhythm section of Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison provides enough boost to 'progify' ''Too Many Years'' and ''Harmony'' (pleasant Marillion/Riverside influence on the guitars) and Mariusz Duda accompanies Marjana in bringing a haunting melody to the title track. The band quite comfortably escape the chamber prog idiom with a range of moods, instruments and ideas.
Even the French-cinema-soundtrack-like ''Chalk and Coal'' has its moments (unfortunate pick for a single in my opinion) in an album where weak moments are hard to find. I personally enjoy better the more lyrical themes (e.g. ''Belighted'', ''I Came Before the Water'') on the album but also embrace its diversity. Last but not least, the beautiful lyrics tie perfectly with the artwork and the storytelling throughout.
4+ / 5 stars

Thanos (Athanasios)

Continuing their weaving between chamber folk with prog stylings and progressive rock with a chamber folk approach, iamthemorning's Lighthouse finds them navigating the choppy waters between those two styles successfully to produce another strong album. It didn't blow me out of my socks immediately like the debut did, but it's got these delicious hidden depths where Marjana Semkina's vocals, Gleb Kolyadin's keyboards, and their extensive supply of supporting musicians can lull you into thinking that you've got the number of a composition before they change it up on you in a way which makes you reassess not just the section you are listening to, but the entire song.
In short, then, the duo are staying the course with remarkable tenacity and continuing to push the boundaries of their personal, esoteric mashup of styles. Long may they sail.

W. Arthur

Much has already been written about this album, so soon after its release. Previous reviewers' strong, concise overviews of the style, tracks, and overall nature of the recording led me to obtain the album, although at first listen (previews only), I was not immediately overly-impressed. The tracks sounded "good", but I didn't really think that this fit my "style" of progressive rock. Now, I have completed my fifth run-through (twice with headphones), and I am thoroughly overwhelmed at the quality, execution, and emotions put forth by this band and the story told within the album. That these wonderful musicians are talented goes without saying; their training and abilities are exhibited in every bar of every track. But what really grabs me here is the manner in which they use their tremendous talent to emotionally expose the heart and soul of a very sad, yet all too frequent, human story. I don't consider myself to be excessively emotional, but each track, both musically and in the story told, brings out all of the feelings that I, as a human being living in a very confusing, troubling, but yet somehow hopeful world experience each day of my life. To me, that is the true "greatness" of this recording.
I admit that, due to the musical "style" of IAMTHEMORNING, I passed on earlier releases by this band; I just didn't take the time to listen thoroughly to their music. Now, with this latest release, I have been converted. While this may not exactly be everyone's "cup of tea", the album is, in my opinion, something that should be "listened to", not just "heard" by everyone who appreciates the depth, warmth, and creativity of truly talented musicians performing truly progressive music. I believe this wonderful recording will stand the test of time and will be a true classic of modern progressive rock, and I look forward to many more listens in the weeks, and years, ahead.

Dejavu69

4.8 / 5 Stars. Their best album by miles!
Its pretty rare that I write reviews of albums which I have only heard a few times, but I could tell from the first listen they had made a huge leap in quality and consistency from their last two albums, and by the second listen I fully understood just how strong this album is. When I first heard their pre-order track "Chalk and Coal" I was immediately very impressed but also very surprised by how dark and jazzy it was. It did make me wonder if this album would be a big departure from their signature sound, but it turns out this song was the exception and most of Lighthouse follows the successful formula that they created in their debut album.
Now often these days when you hear of a band sticking mostly to their safe territory it is given as a criticism. However with Lighthouse the band have managed to perfect their sound and songwriting to the point that there are virtually no flaws to be found. The hit-or-miss Intermission tracks have been ditched, with each song sounding complete and all directing the listener to the concept of this album, which is about a girl who is fighting mental illness. While there are more jazzy parts to be found here and there, the album for the most part sticks to iamthemorning's greatest strengths, which are Gleb Kolyadin's exceptional piano playing and Marjana Semkina's wonderful singing and vocal control. The songs are short with the longest being only 6 minutes, but they make sure each track has a strong personality and melody.
The album wastes no time getting serious with "I Came Before the Water (Pt.I)" which hits you with intensely emotional vocals and orchestral music to enhance the song. The lyrics make it clear from the start that this album is not going to have a happy ending and to be ready for quite a ride.
"Too Many Years" is quite a grand and dramatic track, with a strong melody that gives way to a quite heavy instrumental towards the end. Much like "The Howler" from their last album Belighted they want to keep the momentum and drama from the opening song going for as long as possible, although it feels far more natural than before. "Clear Clearer" and "Sleeping Pills" are both quieter songs, but still have a lot of subtlety that shows the band's strong songwriting skills. The former song showcases Marjana's hypothesizing vocal arrangements along with clever instrumentation while the latter is the closest thing to classical music on this album.
"Libretto Horror" is the most oddball song on the album and while I completely love it I can see it being a acquired taste for others. Here Marjana shows just how far she can push her vocals with some seriously bizarre and challenging key-changes. These vocals are then played one-top of the other to create some sort of freaky nightmarish atmosphere. Whether you love it or hate it you won't be forgetting about it any time soon!
"Lighthouse" is the longest song on the album and also one of their best songs in general. The first part relies on mostly Gleb and Marjana playing off each other to create a very delicate and beautiful atmosphere. Later on Mariusz Duda joins the band to provide guest vocals that work perfectly with Marjana. While the entire album is fantastic this is part is the biggest highlight and its well worth getting the album for just these few minutes. Perfect.
"Harmony" is the first instrumental on the album and a reminder to people that they are not on Prog Archives for no reason! As this is a instrumental this is where Gleb takes center stage and shows just how great he is as a piano player. His classical training background also clearly comes though here."Matches" maintains the virtuoso piano playing and has Marjana also doing some fast-paced vocal gymnastics. This Prog heavy song also has some quite twisted lyrics to show how the girl's mental state has decline significantly. "Belighted" is a classic iamthemorning song with spiraling vocal arrangements and orchestra like in "Intermission I".
"Chalk and Coal" is as said before quite different to the rest of the album and is the point where the girl's breakdown becomes complete. Its probably the band's darkest song to date and brings back memories of Steven Wilson's Grace For Drowning at its most oppressive and jazzy. "I Came Before the Water (Pt.II)" begins entirely without instruments to put the incredibly bleak lyrics into full effect. The orchestra comes back in as the girl accepts defeat and commits suicide. The band perform the song perfectly, if anything too well as the emotional intensity and bleakness makes the song hard to listen to. The band fortunately decided not to finish the album on such a soul crushing moment and instead use the instrumental "Post Scriptum" to conclude things. This piano driven song reprises the theme of the last song and is very well arranged, being serious but not too dark either.
So to conclude from this long review, Lighthouse is by far their best album and not a great deal off being perfect. Each song is a delight to listen to both individually and as part of the concept album, with the concept itself being very engaging and emotional. They play to their strengths here which is only right as they have found a gap in the music world that nobody else has come close to filling. This for me is THE iamthemorning album and their first 100 % masterpiece. They are also fairly accessible by Prog standards meaning they should have a wide market that will be appealed to this album. Absolutely essential music and the best album I have heard in a good number of years.

Andrew

Another dark and beautiful installment from Russian chamber rock duo iamthemorning comes out today.
When I heard their much praised debut album '~' one of my initial thoughts was "Well, where this band would like to step on following albums? Will they continue this atmospheric chamber style or will they move towards some new territories?" For me, exploration of new grounds is always a bigger deal than simple following of a once-trodden path, so I was very glad to see how 'belighted', iamthemorning's second album, has changed the band's style.
Now, we see iamthemorning continuing their experiments with new musical styles, never losing their charm and beauty. On 'Lighthouse' you will meet a full chamber orchestra, extraordinary touching jazzy vibes (inspired by David Bowie's later releases), as well as more usual iamthemorning's baroque melodies.
Like always, iamthemorning present us a blend of airy, ethereal atmosphere with dark and morbid lyrics. 'Lighthouse' tells us a tragic story of a mentally ill girl who struggles with her demons but finally loses in this crucial game of her life. This sad but evercharming and heartfelt beauty will haunt the listener throughout the complete album and for long time after.
Another masterpiece of modern prog.

Oleg

Repito, imperdible, no lo dejen pasar... Muy pero muy recomendado!