Otavan Veret is a new project from Finland that (when I write this) is not even listed on Discogs yet. On their debut cd on Cyclic Law Otavan Veret presents soundscapes. “A calm, epic, massive and monotonously rich curtain of ritualistic sonorities escalates as radiant timbres morphs like an aurora borealis amongst stellar luster”, according to Cyclic Law, but to be honest, I think that the description sounds more interesting than the music. The selling line does give you enough information about the music to know what we are talking about though, so that is very convenient for me as a reviewer.
Link: Cyclic Law
Well, you are not a reviewer for sure. You are a moron. Why the hell you write all these reviews when you clearly don’t understand the music that Cyclic Law releases? The truth is that CL releases the best dark ambient music now after CMI is gone. Find something that suites your taste better to write about. This genre is not your thing.
Thank you for your thoughts, but not for your tone. Here are some thoughts for you.
Gangleri.nl is a one man show. This website costs me money, I do not raise a dime, so no, I am not a professional reviewer. 90% Of the music reviews (and 99% of the books) is material that I actually buy myself. I do not intend to be some newschannel for a certain scene and naturally, when I am to spend money on music, I am critical about what I buy (so there is a bigger change that I will like it). Now there are two labels that send me promo material, so they spend money on me. Of course it would be a lot easier, would these promos be brilliant. On the other hand, I am not going to say that an album is wonderfull when I think it is not. You are right, this monotous soundscape type of dark ambient is not my thing.
This presents somewhat of a dilemma. Cyclic Law sends me a press-pack to download a few weeks before a release is out. I download it, upzip it to a device so that I can play the release through my audio system (hence, I do not listen to the music on the computer) and I listen to it twice before I review it (in its entirety). Because I get the music for free, it feels somewhat of an obligation and every time I get a new promo, I hope it is good, but usually I think otherwise. Cyclic Law keeps sending me their material. Why?
1. I just ended up on some mailing list and they never see the reviews;
2. They do see my reviews and they are happy enough that people see the announcements of their releases (and people who read my reviews frequently probably have a fair idea of what I like and what I do not, which they can put aside their own tastes). Better a not raving review, than no review at all.
So what would you do? Say: “thank you for the material, but I am not going to review it” (so no advertisement for Cyclic Law and the project). Try to write a review that is not too damaging without saying things that you do not mean. Write an unhonest raving review simply because the album did not cost you a dime?
As the saying goes: “there is no discussing about musical taste”, but more considerations are in play than you may think.