Upon listening to it for the first time it’s easy to believe that Amo De Viénn – Afterglow, the Belarus-based artist’s debut album, has been five years in the making. Its twelve tracks – influenced by a versatile collection of genres that encompasses anything from Ambient to IDM – combine to create an immersive journey for the listener, creating what the artist himself dubs “an experience to be felt and lived” that allows fans to paint “their own images and stories in their minds”.
One track on Amo De Viénn – Afterglow that lends itself to such a description is Omen, a dark, percolating track that starts off slowly but gradually grows into something more potent and dynamic. The intense delivery of the vocals and deep grooves create a mysterious atmosphere that doesn’t lift fully until the end of its three minute duration, intriguing listeners and drawing them into De Viénn’s world. Also notable in this sense is the midway point Crashing Ships, which harnesses elements of Ambient such as textured, moody synths, and combines them with an ethereal female vocal to create a profound, thought-provoking three-and-a-half minutes.
Other highlights on the album include Follow Me and Insomnia, both of which are sparser and more tranquil in terms of their mood. Coupled with tracks like the aforementioned Omen and Crashing Ships, they really showcase the diversity of Amo De Viénn – Afterglow, with the artist reportedly taking inspiration from a variety of fellow music makers including Rival Consoles, BICEP, Arca and Emika during its lengthy creation.
Afterglow is undoubtedly a meticulous, ambitious release, tackling an incredible assortment of moods, sounds, textures and genres, particularly considering that it’s a debut album. De Viénn pulls it off nicely though, keeping the listener engaged and ensuring that they become sufficiently immersed in the musical journey the album documents. This album may have been five years in the making – but it was arguably worth the wait.
