Oct 01 2009 5:34 pm,
Bell Orchestre
‘As Seen Through Windows’
(Arts & Crafts)
Penned in the forests of Quebec and Vermont, this instrumental triumph was born out of the imagination and skill of six diverse musicians, two of whom usually reside in Arcade Fire. ‘As Seen Through Windows’ makes for a visceral listening experience where classical ideas crash with modern experimentation in a colourful and thrilling explosion. The album opens with ‘Stripes’ – a high speed train of a song where horses neigh and violins throb, before unsettling air-raid sirens and angelic chorals take over which in turn, suddenly switch to horrific blasts of noise. The glittery magic of Sigur Ros can be heard in songs such as ‘Icicles/Bicycles’ and the archaic drama of Arcade Fire is ever-present, particularly in the spaghetti Western horns of ‘The Gaze’. Bell Orchestre expertly manipulate the power of music – ‘As Seen Through Windows’ will leave you open-mouthed and utterly exhausted.
Jessica Hazel
