Ben Powell, otherwise known as Mank, has been releasing music in Wales for many years. His latest work, Isbjorn, is another progression from his earlier output, showing improved technical and musical abilities from this electronic composer. While his local success has been remarkable, can his music stand up against the many other similar artists worldwide? The answer is, ‘just about.' This is not to say there aren’t any great tracks on this album -- trust me there are. But the album comes across as lacking something that makes it competitive with his more renown peers.
The album opens with "Quiditty the dream-sea," which is a great ambient track. Hypnotic pads lead the way, with soft percussion guiding the listener through. It strikes just the right notes in its short running time and definitely creates an absorbing atmosphere. Powell provides a great start, though the following two tracks use a similar formula which, while still engrossing, starts to make you wonder if variation will come. Luckily, it does appear in the next track in the form of the albums greatest strength -- its piano compositions. It is a refreshing change of pace from the swelling pads that dominate the early tracks and is a key in keeping the listener intrigued. Songs like "Finn" and especially "Novaya Zemlya" highlight this.
None of the tracks, barring the last one, go over five minutes, and I like the general brevity of Powell's approach. However, for this specific CD, I would have to note that some of the songs lack any major progression. I’m not asking for a nine minute epic, however, I do find that more layers could have been added to some of the tracks, which seem flat when viewed in the larger context. "Cryoseism," a four minute track consisting of ambient noises with little melody or direction, illustrates this perfectly. If the track was continued onto a new song and evolved, or if the song was longer and showed progression in its later stages, this could be excused. However this is not the case, and while these occurrences are few and far between, these tracks do detract from the experience.
Another negative point is the final track, and this is the worst one for sure. This truly harms my opinion on Isbjorn overall. After enjoying the previous ten-plus short and sweet songs, the album’s closer, "Iad Uroboros," is a 29 minute-long disappointment. Filled with nothing more than ambient noise,it fails to leave any impression on me, showing no sign of the talent Mank’s had previously displayed in the tracks beforehand.
Overall, while the album is soured by tracks which do not show half as much talent as the rest, this is a good release, something worth checking out. It is also great sign for the Welsh electronic and ambient scene, which may be on the rise.
-Idris Hussain