Lord Wind - Ales Stenar [2012]

Ambient music of any kind is not an area I've paid much attention to, for no better reason than the simple fact that I prefer the immediate thrill and satisfaction of something more structured when it comes to hectic, day-to-day life. Rarely in my free time do I consider listening to mellow, hour long (or more) affairs of instrumental music just for personal enjoyment, and that's a truth I've become disappointed in myself about as of late. Well, I'm delighted to say that Lord Wind's new effort Ales Stenar might just be my spiritual awakening to this sprawling and intoxicating genre of cerebral tones.

To be fair, however, Lord Wind isn't your typical ambient soundscape creator, and it's certainly not even close to the metal realm; no intensity or distortion is at play here. Ales Stenar is simply comprised of ten medieval marches through a calm and inviting setting, with no modern interference or electronic elements to be found. The contents could be a video game or film's soundtrack, and I mean that in the best way possible. Imagine the most epic scene in your favorite movie; that's where this music belongs. It conjures up images of ancient glories. Vikings marching in blizzards, Scandinavian gods ascending the skies, Egyptians treading across wide expanses  of burning sand, etc. You'll close your eyes and see it all under the influence of Lord Wind.

Ales Stenar is a very cohesive, consistent effort, however, so don't expect much variety in terms of pacing or overall sound here. Most of the songs, which are just about equally concise in length, progress in congruent fashion. The formula? Take one simple, rich melody and repeat it in slightly varying ways as faint female voices chant above the caressing cello and violin and slow tribal drums beat below. What may sound like a repetitive, overly bare sound actually creates quite an intoxicating and overwhelming musical embrace, at least for me, anyway. Not one minute after hitting play (and I've pressed play a lot) do I find myself unconsciously swaying back and forth, transfixed by the rhythmic push and pull of these ancient concoctions.

There's just this irresistible atmosphere of royal joy and wonder that never fades for the 58 regal minutes in question. I might have liked to see a more harrowing, tear-jerking moment or two among all the subtle emotional highs, but I can't reasonably fault Ales Stenar for what it is. I'm continually surprised by how functional and relistenable this album is. Doing homework? Check. Reading? Check. Going to bed? Let's just say that if I'm listening to this during the nighttime hours, I always fall asleep with a smile on my face and bright dreams behind my tired eyes. Lord Wind is a vision many will understandably find unappealing and boring (and it should absolutely not be confused with metal in any way), but those looking for an arresting escape from the modern day definitely need to look into this shiny, medieval gem. A treasure as good as gold.

   Overall: 8.75/10 (Great)