Atlas Sound: Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel

Whilst on my stay at Center Parcs last week, I got a bit carried away in one of those shops that sells candles and the like.

It had one of those CD testers inside where you press the button and out of the speaker plays these elemental recordings of the sea, wind, thunder and animal sounds that are supposedly "scientifically proven" to help relax the soul and encourage sleep (with the exception of Abba's 'Keep Fit' one though).

Though I'm not denying that they work, especially since I chose not to purchase any due to the extortionate prices. I still can't help thinking after listening to Atlas sounds, that this would work much better as a relaxation inhibitor than any specifically designed release could ever be.

Atlas Sound is a side shoot from the great Deerhunter. Mainly led by the work of vocalist Bradford Cox who does most of the composition himself and is accompanied by others such as fellow band mate Lockett Pundt playing guitar.

The entire album seems to portray chilling tales with such track titles as; Cold As Ice, Winter Vacation, A Ghost Story and Small Horror possibly giving the impression of quite an benumbing release on hand, yet cold this is not!

What's on offer here is a complex combination of sounds, for the most part quite unclassifiable. A best explanation would be described alike to many strands of warm deep melodies carried along by a rustling wind eventually fed the listeners way.

This can first be seen on the second track 'Recent Bedroom' featuring the use of double tracked vocals which dwell atop of descending and rising echoing noises and guitars. This gives a good insight of what is to come on 'Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel'.

This theme is built upon on the following track 'River Card', which features the first inclusion of percussion and drums of which are seen at their greatest dizzying heights on 'Ready Set Glow' a little later on.

'Quarantined' is like something taken from similar terrain to that occupied by Radiohead. Only being a step on deeper into the creepy and hauntingly moving crevices imagination can create.

Giving the album a good standing in many different genres are the previously mentioned tracks 'Cold As Ice', which takes a step jazz-wards with its monotonous loops proving incredibly catchy and 'Winter Vacation' which features a bass drum mixed in an unsure tempo, somehow managing to keep everything relevant as the vocals and air filled strings pulsate the mind away from reality to tranquillity.

There really isn't a bad track from start to finish, with enough variation and new thought provoking additions throughout to keep up the interest. Yet 'Let The Blind...' is also a sombre and calming affair, yet entirely refreshing.

So many songs are worth a mention here, that it's made a very hard task of picking a single standout, but maybe if I were to choose one, it would be given to 'Scraping Past' which contains the clever interlinking play of the once more wonderfully controlled vocals of Bradford Cox, adjoined to a jumpy bassline - truly proving to be a beautifully transverse experience.

All I can say to conclude is that if this review (as yet) hasn't turned your mind towards purchasing Atlas Sounds 'Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel', then firstly I apologise for not being a more convincing writer and secondly; just buy it anyway because I highly doubt you'll ever hate the experience.