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Reviewed by Anna Schlotjes

Macombee And The Absolute Truth: No Man’s Land

Reviewed by Anna Schlotjes

Macombee And The Absolute Truth: No Man’s Land

Eccentric and intricate Sarah Macombee, aka Macombee and The Absolute Truth‘s ‘No Man’s Land’ is an experience of its own. A six-year labour of love, the trance-like offerings are emotive and intensely personal, engulfing the listener in a beautifully composed hypnosis of self indulgence. Opening track, The Absolute Truth, packs a punch, starting with confident guitar strains and the promise of all encompassing love and truth. The rest of the album feels like a Bat For Lashes’ kind of experience. Well produced composition, in this case, predominantly piano-driven, with orchestral filler to create texture and colour. Ambitiously, Macombee experiments with synths in sections of certain tracks. In the case of Gravestones, the electronic input gives the track a more urban, trip hop feel. I found the synthy introduction to Flotsam and Jetsam a bit jarring, but it only lasts for a matter of seconds before evening out to become a dreamy, wishful ballad. Ultimately this 10-track release feels a bit like a journey into the melancholy. It’s beautiful in parts and, like any journey, has its hurdles. Fans of emotive musical experiences will be pleased.