...Or You Could Just Go Through Your Whole Life and Be Happy Anyway. / Bliss Out v.18

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...Or You Could Just Go Through Your Whole Life and Be Happy Anyway. / Bliss Out v.18 album cover
Album Information

Total Tracks: 7   Total Length: 41:01

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Two greats, five misses

snej

This is a weirdly varied album, with every track off in a genre of its own. That's not necessarily bad (viz. the Beatles' "White Album"!) but in this case I find only two of the tracks worthwhile. But the good news is they're both absolutely superb. "Aura Lee" is a gorgeously slow and melancholy, with spine-chilling vocal harmonies. And "Song For A Free Williamsburg" is for all intents and purposes a lost New Order masterpiece from circa 1982. Both are must-downloads.

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They Say All Music Guide

While No Solace in Sleep was a chilling array of haunting ambient drones, Or You Could Just… is a warm, softer counterpart. On Vol. 18 of Darla’s stellar Bliss Out series (other featured artists have included Amp, Sweet Trip, and American Analog Set), Jon DeRosa is joined by Lorraine Lelis of Mahogany and DJ Aaron Spectre. The nicest surprise is a handful of tracks with vocals, including the wonderful “Aura Lee.” It adds a human dimension to Aarktica’s iciness, yet maintains a dreamy atmosphere. Guitar, electronics, and studio tricks add more textures than the previous LP, with plenty of delay on “A Correspondence in Film” and gentle drum’n’ bliss on “You’re Landlocked, My Love.” DeRosa’s studies in music technology and psychology have definitely paid off for this record, as he produces a therapeutic album of celestial space rock. – Kenyon Hopkin

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