Schwarz, Nerissa: Playgrounds Lost

You may not have heard the name Nerissa Schwarz associated with progressive rock but if you follow the German prog scene you are likely familiar with her band Frequency Drift. After the release of Ghost she has been a full time member and has played on five albums becoming a key component to that band's sound of which I am a big fan. Before joining Frequency Drift in 2011 she went under the moniker of Coronal Rain.

Schwarz has recently released her first solo album Playgrounds Lost featuring only her electric harp and Mellotron. First off you need to know this album is far removed from the sound of her parent band. This is a very ethereal and pastoral album, slow moving and gentle but often quite unsettling as well as the tones can be almost foreboding at times. This is an album, at least for me, that will not get a lot of plays mainly due to its mellowness and ambient nature. That is not to say the music is not well done because it is really quite thoughtful, melodic and well-constructed. The somber tones reflect the album's theme of how childhood can be very traumatic and how susceptible children are to their environment.

Bottom line: if you enjoy pastoral and ambient music with elements of folk, classical and cinematic musical forms by all means check this one out. You may find it's a keeper.

Track Listing:
1. Play
2. Dance Around Black Hole
3. Running Out
4. Fireflying
5. Last Spring
6. Yellow Skies
7. Something Behind Trees
8. No More Games
9. Playground Lost

Added: February 1st 2017
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 1409
Language: english

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