Tracklist:

1- Ilisu
2- Water Rights
3- Displacement
4- Euphrates
5- Tigris
6- War by Other Means
7- Thirst
8- 'Untitled'


Total Play Time: 43:52

Phonem, another mystery artist to me until early this year. "Ilisu" is not the first release by Phonem, but is the first into my collection. This CD was actually bought 'blindly' by me, since I did not know anything of Phonem or do much research on Phonem before this purchase. I wasn't expecting to find "loud, noisy" music within this releases, and that part did hold true.

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear "Ilisu" is that the sound is 'warm' and delicate. The music has an innocent, playful personality to it. Backgrounds within the music are usually soft sounds, of an ambient nature; with light drums, glitches and looped beeps in the forefront. The music isn't to say all slow and laid back (i.e. "Ilisu" and "Thirst"), and actually sounds like a 'light' version of drum and bass in some songs ("War by Other Means" and "Water Rights"). Nothing here really gets 'loud' though, so do not come looking for that in this disc.

Of particular note:
Track 4: "Euphrates"
"Euphrates" starts off with tiny little electronic squeaks, which are soon swept up in a gentle ambient tone. A laid back mid paced drum pattern is soon brought out of the gentle background, hinting at a faster paced song then the previous tracks. While sitting and listening to the music, I soon realize I am immersed in not only the ambient tones and light drums, but also many other intricate sound effects. One can hear squeaks, fuzzy static and what sounds like old video game sound effects at one point. The song never builds into the frenzied or faster paced drum beat I might have first thought, but nevertheless remains interesting with it's little intricacies and details.

Track 7: "Thirst"
This track is a wonderful way to wind down the CD, with it's calm and peaceful pace. The songs starts with these ambient waves washing over a sample(s) of a person(s) tinkering with some sort of device or just moving about items. After a short voice sample, the hypnotic sounds effects continue, rising and falling in level. There is the faint sound of a string instrument (acoustic guitar?) that can be heard within the waves at this point also. Then at the 2:40 mark a piano is meshed into the beatless atmosphere of the song, taking the song that much deeper into it's hypnotizing beauty.

While I can't say any of the songs on this CD stand out when listening to the album as a whole, I also can't complain about any sounding horrible. Taken aside, seperate from the album as a whole; each track offers something warm and pleasing. Best listened to on headphones, and/or when you have the time to relax and listen to the music without distraction. Not to forget the CD comes well packaged, with a great layout. The inside of the CD's digipack contains interesting information describing what "Ilisu" (the album's title) is and about.

Information:
Label: Morr Music
Serial: MM024
Title: Ilisu CD
Band: Phonem
Site: www.morrmusic.com

Reviewed by Bry'n
5.15.02