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Sonus Umbra — Whiteout
(ProgRock Essentials no#, 2024, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2024-08-30

Whiteout Cover art

Sometimes I come across an album where I like the instrumental aspects of the music but don’t care for the vocals. I think of these albums as “good music interrupted by singing.” Whiteout, the latest from Sonus Umbra, could be described as “good music interrupted by voices,” which refers to the extensive use of recordings from the news. You get lots of Donald Trump and other peddlers of rage and outrage, people chanting the names of victims of police violence, pundits pushing conspiracy theories, descriptions of misogyny, racism, and exploitation… with each track focusing on a different issue. As it happens, I’m in agreement with the views expressed (or implied) here, both socially and politically, but I find the album essentially unlistenable. There are lots of tasty sections of instrumental work and excellent playing, but then a voice will jump out saying something annoying, reminding me that the world is messed up. Of course, it’s necessary to be aware that there are problems if there’s to be any hope of making things better, but music is something that provides a respite from the news, a break from the chaos where I can appreciate the beauty humans can create. Listening to Whiteout is the musical equivalent of doomscrolling, and while I’m not immune to the compulsion, it’s something I feel is unhealthy. I could have handled the occasional recording incorporated into a piece — it’s something I’ve done myself — but to rely on it so heavily throughout the whole album reverses the balance, making the music secondary to what is essentially a collage of voice samples. I expect this will be a divisive album among fans of progressive rock, and not just around its political stances.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Sonus Umbra

More info
http://gotsonus.bandcamp.com/album/whiteout-low-res-16-bit

 

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