The Flashbulb’s last album to explore this sort of territory, Arboreal, felt contrived and came off a little cheap. It was technically OK but the pushy, sentimental tone marred the experience. Fortunately Opus at the End of Everything does not inherit this sense of melodrama, despite what the name suggest. What we have instead is modest by comparison. The narrative is less indulgent, and though elements remain (sampling self-help books, vocoder and wispy vocals? – not for me, thanks) it sounds like The Flashbulb is relaxing. The album doesn’t stray from the trajectory carved out by his last three LPs, but it demonstrates a kind of restraint not seen in an album of his for quite some time. There is a balance which has rarely been achieved before; seagulls, church bells, children, crickets, violin, piano, guitar and all the other usual suspects share the sound stage this time round. There is never the sense that one element is vying for attention or trying to overwhelm things, something Arboreal was guilty of.
What is befitting of the album name, however, is it’s ability to invoke that period about ten years ago when electronic music still had some life in it. In “Beebs” there is the impishness of Aphex Twin, “Precisely Wrong” has Luke Vibert’s tipsy funk, In “Island on an Endless Plane” we hear the murmur of acid, “Between the Waves” has its threats of breakcore and throughout we hear children laughing and playing – once a Boards of Canada staple. That’s not to say its a recycled album, just that it retraces some earlier sounds. “Arrival to an Empty Room”, for example, doesn’t contain anything we haven’t heard before, but its composition feels effortless and the result is beautiful. It’s exciting music because it goes back to its root in this way. I don’t mean to argue that music then was so much better than it is now – I’m not even sure I’d be capable – just that these are the people and styles that excited me with what they did, and now they have all but disappeared. Opus at the End of Everything is a rush of nostalgia, and although it doesn’t bring anything especially new to the table, what it does bring is The Flashbulb in the best shape he’s been for quite a while.
Rating: 4 out of 5
hmmmm downloading this now, will be interesting to see if it is as shit as his last few releases…
haha, well i guess you have it by now. its not good in the way kirlian selections or red extensions was, but more like soundtrack. i would be interested to hear what you think.