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Band: Saigon Blue Rain
Album title: Noire Psyché
Release date: 28 March 2016
Label: Self-Released
Tracklist:
01. Fading Fantasies
02. In Other Climes
03. Noire Psyché
04. Whispering Eyes
05. Mori Chimaeris (L'Offrande Pt.2)
06. Dancing Trees No Longer Cry
07. The Unknown
08. Bliss
09. Midnight Blue
10. Pearly Haze
Not even two years since the release of their debut album, What I Don't See, the French duo Saigon Blue Rain (formerly known as Stupid Bitch Reject) returns with their sophomore album. And yes, it's time to close your eyes and indulge into music, it's time to dream again... Ophelia and Franck already stunned many of us with their highly emotive, romantic and soothing version of ethereal dark music, which is based on cold wave and dream pop sounds on their debut. Not that many things have changed since the previous album, but still, Saigon Blue Rain shows a bit more matured song compositions, the atmospheres are more vivacious and sound is now a bit richer, even more dynamic, but othervise everything I've said in the review of their debut (you can read it over HERE) stands as well for Noire Psyché.
Noire Psyché is nothing but a logical continuation of What I Don't See and those who were embraced by Ophelias magical tender and emotive voice before will be amazed now as well. This lady's fragile but yet strong voice has such a power to take you out of this bitter reality into fantasy world and there is no wonder why you'll probably see some fairies flying around you if you just close your eyes and listen to the magnificient opener "Fading Fantasies" or to the sombre "The Unknown". It's so very appealing listening to those gothy/darkwave synths, artificial beats and sparkling reverberate electronic loops in the background that deepens the whole ambiance and make this soundscapes so very magical, yet multilayered with those almost shady gothic rock/post-punk guitars. The band throws into the list also some more direct upbeat tracks like is "Bliss", where beside the magnificient danceable popy melodies we can hear some post-rock and shoegaze elements that are nicely inherited into the song. If the melancholic mystical darkly romantic lyrics are not enough to make your eyes wet than the vocaly very strong dreamy soothing dark wave composition "Mori Chimaeris (L'Offrande Pt.2)" will certainly do. Saigon Blue Rain can also traverse the borders of ambient music in the glowing intermezzo "Dancing Trees No Longer Cry". While many things might sound influenced by 80s dark electro/pop sounds, the track "Whispering Eyes" is a proper example, Saigon Blue Rain makes everything quite modern or better said contemporary and will not only appeal to fans of Cocteau Twins, Lycia, early Dead Can Dance or even Miranda Sex Garden to name a few, but also to those who fancy acts such are Autumn's Grey Solace, Chelsea Wolfe or the latest Alcest, while still being darker, gothier and more emotional than most of them.
Saigon Blue Rain have achived with their two full-lenghts and one EP released under the monicker Stupid Bitch Reject in 2013, kind of their own trademark sound. Their new album, Noire Psyché, does shine also because of good deep production that with kind of echoing sound gives an additional dimension. While I still have some issues with too linear compositions here and there, I must say that Ophelia and Franck did their job very good and now it's on you dear readers, if you fancied their previous album, or if this is your first encounter with this band and if you like melancholic, cold, emotional, atmospheric dreamy music than don't hesitate to get your copy of this album.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 8/10
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