Iamthemorning - Lighthouse

Iamthemorning Lighthouse cover
Iamthemorning
Lighthouse
Kscope
2016
8
Iamthemorning is a Russian duo, formed in 2010. Since then the duo has released two full-length albums, “~” (2012) and “Belighted” (2014), with “Lighthouse” being their new and third in a row full-length release. On the new album the duo is presenting a different approach and they do not fear to experiment & improvise with piano, keys, and strings along with the “ethereal” voice of Marjana Semkina. Pianist & keyboardist Gleb Kolyadin is one of those virtuosos, who think that music always comes first and they do not tend to show-off whenever they can; instead they try to serve music and he does so with his wonderful orchestrations as well.
 
The duo’s music is “strange” as their name is. An amalgam of atmospheric, classical, orchestral, folk, pop, jazz, chamber & eclectic progressive with a handful of electronic touches… you see, listening to it is easier than describing it; it’s both “eccentric and classy” at the same time. Not to be misunderstood, this kind of music has nothing to do with rock or metal music so it’s only for the truly open-minded music lovers who fancy all kinds of inspirational music no matter what.
 
Lyrically, “Lighthouse” talks about the story of the progression of mental illness and it gets quite intense as you go along. If you focus on each track then you’ll get a most complete idea of what the music along with the lyrics are offering… that’s even easier when you read the track by track analysis that Marjana did for Grande Rock.
 
The album was engineered and mixed by Marcel van Limbeek (Tori Amos), self-produced by Gleb and Marjana and mastered by Marcel van Limbeek & Neil Pickles at Reveal Sound Studios. The production is crystal clear and rich. Moreover, the guest appearances by Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) on drums, Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) on bass and vocalist Mariusz Duda (Lunatic Soul, Riverside), who sings along with Marjana on the homonymous track, make the final outcome even more flavorsome.
 
If you love eclectic, refined & well-crafted music, which is mostly based on piano and strings along with “ethereal” vocals, then “Lighthouse” is an album that you should not miss for any reason. Then again, how one cannot fancy tracks like the peculiar “I Came Before the Water (Pt. I & II)”, the gloomy “Sleeping Pills” with the children choir, the moody “Lighthouse”, the instrumental “Harmony”, the soothe & colorful “Belighted”, the jazz-progy “Chalk and Coal” and the atmospheric “Post Scriptum”…?!