L’ALTRA – DIFFERENT DAYS (Ambient/Electronica – US)
This band was born out of the artistic collaboration between former lovers Lindsay Anderson and Joseph Costa. Their first LP, Music Of A Sinking Occasion (2000), was a rather dark collection of songs mostly immersed in the nostalgia of a dying couple. It was followed by In the afternoon (2002), which further explored the sadness of mourning a relationship. In Different Days (Hefty, 2004), there is more energy in the baroque sound of l’altra’s songs and it brings a new hope.
The result is a down tempo album filled with hauntingly beautiful melodies adorned with subtle electronica. Songs such as “There is no” best show Lindsay’s and Joe’s ability to craft powerful songs based only on a very simple melodic line and on Lindsay’s ethereal voice. This is a song you should listen to in a dark and quiet room, where you will be able to appreciate all its unvoiced magic. Every time you listen to it you will find more and more intricate details that will make you want to play it again and again.
Another standout track on Different Days is the opening track “Sleepless Nights”. Here the band starts building the song with just a few electronic sounds which gradually evolve into a fragile melody. Lindsay’s voice timidly joins in and then the whole song expands until it reaches its climax. Guitars and voice melt together to create a beautiful sense of catharsis in sadness. Needless to point out that Joseph Costa’s vocal contribution is also well worth a listen. In the song “Mail Bom” you constantly feel like his voice is going to break and yet it holds on and delivers sulky lyrics on a background of drum machine.
Both Lindsay and Joe are currently working on their solo projects and their respective LPs should be out in 2007. For more info check out www.costamusic.net and www.lindsayanderson.net. You can also find L’altra on their website and MySpace
