ZapTown

Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Rivers
The Control Group
Rating: 4 out of 5

Link: http://www.wildbirdsandpeacedrums.com/

The construct of Rivers boils down to a conjoining of two EPs, Retina and Iris, both previously released. The two are distinct in nature, while both contain a reoccurring theme of the dark and natural. Turn off the lights, light some candles, and let’s begin.

Recorded live in a church, you hear the haunting echoes of the building’s acoustics. That element of depth make the gorgeous chants lucid. You can imagine what it was like sitting in one of the old wooden pews, searching for sanctity within the floating melodies as a cross peers out. “Bleed Like There Was No Other Flood” is like being tossed into a dream as the effects are intoxicating. “Tiny Holes In The World” is more construed and abstract, but using the Schola Contorum Reykjavik Chamber Choir as their backing band really extend the band’s capabilities. You really hear it in “Fight For Me.” The intense three-day recording session, brought out the tightness of the songs and the inner turmoil, seeking perfection. With an imperfect structure, they got perfection.

Iris transforms the listener into another direction. Less daunting, vocalist Mariam Wallentin searches for simplicity within the dominance of a steel pan lighting the path. Songs like “The Drop” and “The Course,” it brings out the percussive value of the last half. “The Lake” is a chiming adventure in the abstract.

Iris’ musical motive is to represent water, reflection and surface light. Within that spectrum, the music and vocals are doing two separate things. What both really get at is the slower pace of serenity.

As different as the two EPs are, they conjoin very well. From chanting chorus to steel pans glistening, you feel its stark transition, but Wallentin and husband Andreas Werliin do an amazing job at keeping everything together while letting you experience their journey.

There are so many elements going on with the album and behind the scenes that the end result is a documentation of art from concept to finished product. In a word, gorgeous!