Jamie Denton, based in Auckland, is the man behind Empire To Ashes, producing mind-bending music which is described as alternative electronica. His latest offering is titled Deconstructed [Between The Pieces], which very cleverly follows on from [In Pieces] which was released in January 2018. Deconstructed is considered to be an extension of this.

An intrinsically woven story linking [In Pieces] with Deconstructed, this is a complex, mysterious and deeply thought-provoking arrangement of synth and sounds. There is a beautiful contrast between darkness and light on this album, an extraordinary almost hypnotising quality filters through in each of the robust nine tracks. This album has a slightly chilling vibe which would not be out of place in a suspense thriller.

The opening track Enola gives the listener a moody introduction of what is to follow, the sound of rain quietly providing an eerie back drop to the synth. The visuals to this track left me spellbound and completely absorbed, it is a sad tale of a broken soul. Jamie captured the mood perfectly with the sound effects and powerful video. Described as a multimedia project Empire To Ashes have cleverly linked the audio tracks to the videos.

This entire album feels like a continuation of a musical and spiritual journey. Meaningful, deep and very personal.

The next track Lamentation had an ominous feel with the crows squawking, I could almost see them circling around me as I listened... “Each passing year gets harder, as the memories slowly fade. Like pages yellowing in the sun. Time will eventually steal everything”.

As you make your way through each track, there are various chilling sound effects, a robotic noise and the sound you get when playing a well-worn record filters through on Initium creating an unearthly impression.

Well-crafted electronica incorporating rich deep bassy tones with piano chords await in Ecstasy Of Sleep (Dreaming Pt.2). An impressive 6.02 minutes of almost hypnotising sound.

Mysterious and melancholy, each track tells a story. Winding up with Hospicetality, to a back drop of an ECG heart monitor. “After an eternity in fluorescent purgatory, the walls purred softly. Welcome back to where you belong”. This is a dramatic finale alternating very deep resounding tones with high pitched synth.

The accompanying videos to each track are spell bounding, they add another layer to the music and offer an understanding to a complex arrangement. Powerful, artistic, soul touching graphics give added meaning to each piece of music. A surreal journey into your psyche.

This is a thought provoking album which captivated my imagination. “Bearing jagged pieces of a ragged soul for your consumption”.

★★★★★ (5 stars)

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