Where to begin with this little oddity? Once again, the eclectic nature of the Svart Records roster rears its head, this time in the form of Ark of Contempt and Anger, the latest release from Finnish act Sink. I'm not even sure what to call this or how to explain it, as the band have created a musical slab that incorporates elements of electronica, prog, drone, pop, gothic, and psychedelia, yet on the surface, what you hear on Ark of Contempt and Anger is none of them. Take "Dream Map" for instance, which drifts along with breezy pop melodies, chants, and floating instrumentation that's not quite prog, not quite psych, and not quite electronica. "Consolation" is much more in the latter category, a perfect recommendation for any fan of Brian Eno, while "Crystal Ship" takes ambient to a new level, with violent, almost black metal tones shimmering underneath a frenzied framework of tumultuous grooves and experimental synths. Another unique piece is "Enchant", which mixes Middle Eastern & Oriental themes with lush prog-rock, and "Terminal" again frequents that claustrophobic blend of black metal and ambient drone.
In the end, Ark if Contempt and Anger is certainly a unique listen, though definitely not an easy one. Perhaps the most engaging track is the closing "So We'll Go No More A-Roving", a charming little pop song with a lovely male/female vocal duet over a lovely keyboard arrangement, something I wish we heard more of on the album and it's a shame you have to wait until the end to get there.
Track Listing
01_Hunger
02_Pilgrimage
03_Dream Map
04_Consolation
05_Crystal Ship
06_Enchant
07_Terminal
08_World Asthma
09_So We'll Go No More A-Roving
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