The Declining Winter - Haunt The Upper Hallways (Home Assembly Music)
I have never really been a fan of summer. Those humid days and clammy nights, where sleep eludes and sweat exudes from every inch of the skin. Thankfully, The Declining Winter’s Richard Adams seems to have the chilling spirit of the latter seasons of the year ingrained into his fragile bones and here he calms and chills the soul during these stifling summer times.
Adams, one part of Indie Gods 'Hood', has ventured out on new autumnal paths whilst 'Hood' take a well earned country hiatus and the results get more intriguing with each new release. "Haunt The Upper Hallways" has Adams blooming with a confidence that emerged on his recent debut solo release "Goodbye Minnesota." This second release is an aural trip through desolate fog laden lanes that intertwine and stray off on many paths and musical directions.
“My Name In Ruins” is TDW’s sound honed down to a tee. All melancholic acoustics punctuated by electronic bass lines and sweeping, chiming synthetic washes of grey matter and splatters of crisp chilly clarity. The sound of an old friend re-visiting with all the comforts of warm sparkling musical nostalgia in hand.
Anyone familiar with 'Hood', will find much to enjoy within this release, Adams has taken lessons learnt and has crafted his own unique vision of days gone by. Where Hood mixed it up and added everything from Rappers to mad electronic soundscapes, Adams has laced his own moniker with oboes, violins and ghost like vocal warbles. The overall effect is stark but brimming with depth and moments of gratifying heartache.
This album is much more stripped down than the first release from the band. Ambient pieces drift hazily past, leaving you feeling like you have just gulped in fresh country air. The album actually makes me want to put my head out of a speeding car window as that is the nearest I could get to the refreshing nature of this piece of work.
Chilled, ambient breezes for those long summer nights. Richard Adams has made the perfect cooling elixir that will appeal to any ambient or indietronica fans (no pun intended) out there! This album could cool the sun if only my speakers would reach that far.
7.5/10
Reviewed by Nicky