Reuniting to follow up on the entrancing dusky spells of Forgotten Gods, the trio tread lukewarm waters, unable to spark the temporal magic that sung before. Failing to find fresh distinctions, their worldly disjointed percussive lines and ancient cultural chants rub up against airy atmospheric synths in a mediocre affair. With soft keyboard driven ambiences, its smooth, cloudy synthetic chemistry resides in a lofty yet unassuming place. Danger and mystique or awe and wonder rarely engulf quite like before.
Hinted strongly in naming and presentation, the album cover, Earth Island yearns for a cosmic perspective, yet even the brief chatters of astronaut communications nestled in doesn't sharpen this vision. Melting World offered immersion, a grade above the rest, but it also marked a shift. The initial human link between stars and stones shatters as a darkly brooding unease encroaches before the final two songs break pace again.
These ambient works often feel subjected to mood and fatigue more so than other genres. So i'd take my words lightly. One can hear the trio trying to move the Aztec inspired soundscape out of its shadowy realm, turning to an uplift, brighter in spirit, yet earthly and deep. The two ideal either don't gel, or lacks execution. Subsequently, the gravity that came before is illusive despite the mild meditative calm it conjures.
Rating: 5/10