Music Review: Ancient Ocean, Blood Moon

Published on June 26th, 2015 in: Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

ancient-ocean-blood-moon-review-header-graphic

The great thing about debut albums is that they can leave preconceived expectations wide open, especially when the style of music is ambient. So what is Ancient Ocean’s Blood Moon? Simply put, it is a collection of fully realized songs, begging for a listener to experience its gravity. It’s quite easy for this type of music to fly under the radar, considering it’s not exactly the most mainstream concoction, but allowing Blood Moon to take over your time and consciousness will be an undoubtedly satisfactory expedition.

For some, the album might be a wonderful adventure down an often unconsumed musical road; it’s not everyday that an ambient band comes to light and brings forth material this substantial. For others, the album might come off as nettlesome, pretentious, and/or uneventful, simply due to the fact that it’s an acquired taste in music. An open mind is necessary while listening to Blood Moon, and without it, one might not properly comprehend the intricate idiosyncrasies that the album has to offer.

Void of traditional melodies, the album takes music in a different direction. All of the songs have a similar essence – that being one of calmness and reflectiveness, but each still has a sense of individual identity. Kicking things off, “Blood Moon” is the most spacey track included on the album. It is followed by the 14-minute long epic “Beargrass Creek,” which features a distinctive string section along with acoustic guitar. The third song, “Absolution,” commences with an almost ominous tone that remains intact until the end. “Winter Half-Light,” however, is the complete opposite of “Absolution.” Its uplifting essence makes for a fitting conclusion to the four-song, 41-minute long Blood Moon.

What is important to remember with an album like this is that the sounds that are played are just as important as the sounds that aren’t played. The drawn-out synths and background reverb madness both create an interesting aura that leaves room for your imagination to fill in the blanks. The songs have space to breathe and don’t bombard you with racket, which is refreshing in a world of wannabe virtuosos.

Suggestion: grab yourself a set of headphones, sit down with Blood Moon and shut everything else off—the television, your phone, the lights, the world. It’s impossible to not get lost in the album, especially under the perfect circumstances. The songs blend into one, as if an evolution is occurring before you, and the aura consumes you the instant that you begin listening. An incredible commander of patience, acceptance, and progressiveness, Ancient Ocean’s Blood Moon is nothing short of extraordinary.

Blood Moon will be released on June 30 from Beyond Beyond Is Beyond Records.



Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.