the impossible thrill

alpha

melankolic, 2001

Mood—Quiet, calm and haunted.

Sample: "Wishes"

Thoughts— This is a relatively recent purchase for me, a bargain bin find at the local shop. My track record for picking out good albums based solely on the covers is good, and this one definitely rests high up in my success list.

Even though I had no idea what to expect, I was surprised by this album. I had imagined it was going to be a glitchy electronic afair, but instead it is a soulful chillout album filled with both male and female vocals, deep piano sounds and vibraphone.

And I love me some vibraphone.

There's not a lot of variation from track to track on this disk, which for most albums would be a flaw, but I get the impression that The Impossible Thrill is meant to be a steady, smooth experience. Strings will swell, synth elements will bleep and bloop their way into some of the songs, but everything is working together to provide a rather homogeneous experience. As that is the case, it's hard to choose any superlative tracks. None of them are especially memorable, and you won't likely find yourself singing along.

Both the male and female vocalists sound great. The vocals are smooth and clear. The album is lush, almost to a fault. I could use a bit more "white space" in the music, personally. If Alpha could take a cue from Cinematic Orchestra, they would benefit from studying the structure of songs like "Every Day" and "Channel One Suite."

If you are looking to have something on for late night drives or romantic dinners, you'd be right to choose this album.

Recommended? This is a strong album, and enjoyable for groovy nights, but not a must-have.

Link—astralwerks.com/alpha

Tracklist
1. Still
2. Eon
3. Dim
4. South
5. Almost There
6. Wise
7. Especial
8. Wishes
9. Clear Sky
10. Al Station
11. Fort