French label, which I cheer and support since its inception, gradually deepens the amount of its artists. This time, it has decided to take under its wings a woman artist (yes, yes, it is not a mistake or typo), who creates her music under the alias Sleeping Forest. A new acquisition in Hadra Records is Lisa-Marine, who in February 2013 has released her first album, titled RISE OF NATURE. It is no secret that Lisa has always liked a variety of music genres and I do not mean only the electronics, but as she admits herself her musical fascinations go much further, starting with the psychedelic rock, and ending with widely defined world music. And that is how is this album – very versatile and sectional.
RISE OF NATURE is a kind of homage and tribute to the milder nature and what is connected with it, because the tracks are incredibly quiet, kept rather in one tone, and at times downright sleepy. The tracks such as: MORNING GLORY, PURPLE BIRD, INSIDE LANE or title RISE OF NATURE are rather sad, full of emotion, nostalgia and melancholy, sound masteries that can lead to reflection and help to give a thought. Calling this album a psychedelic one would definitely be a bit prematurely term and having nothing in common with that climate, which the Frenchwoman was able to create.
And are there any cons, which I used not to miss in my reviews? Well, there are some, because even though the author ensures that by working on this album she used the sounds of nature, I cannot find them here and probably it is the most negative aspect of this album – it is just 'too electronic'. Of course, this is just my subjective feeling and certainly there will be a large number of people who likes this kind of sound. Although at times some steady pulsating sounds come along, which more or less try to enrich the electronics ruling here, there is still something missing to complete my state of happiness. It is too harshly, for me, even though there is still a calm and gentle aura.
In conclusion, today I can write with all responsibility that it will not be the album of the year for me, because you can really expect much more from the French label, Hadra Records, what it has already proved not once. On the other hand, RISE OF NATURE is not that kind of album, after listening to which you could stick to it a tag 'never again' – it just seems to me that it deserves another chance.