Hoyland - Dreams Within A Dream (Demo) FLAC

Review by ASCHE

There are times when music truly reaches you. You know what I mean. The music literally grabs you from the second it starts. Then there are entire collections that do the same. This EP is the latter. The "Dreams Within a Dream" collection is truly the "album between the albums" for Hoyland. It is a download-only EP, but the music contained within is every bit as good as what you've come to expect from Marc. It is a 5 track EP, and nearly 45 minutes of content. Expertly mastered and produced by Priapus Twenty-Three through his studio, Sombre Soniks Studios. Following is a track by track analysis:

1. Celestial - The opening track had me at 0:10 onward! The title truly captures the essence of this track. Absolute beauty. Choirs run from beginning to end, a relatively simple tune. It's the prescence, however, that is truly stunning. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite Hoyland tracks. A really strong and impressive intro to this work. (I have to admit, when I first purchased this album last night, I didn't get past track 1 for almost 2 hours!) My only complaint with this song is that it didn't last longer!!

2. Journeyman - By far the longest track on the EP, "Journeyman" covers a full 11 minutes. This one, as the name suggests, is a journey within itself. Beginning slow and minimalist, it builds slowly, incorporating pads, cello, and nuance voice harmonies. A hearken back to the days of "Dance of the Twilight Stars", this track, I believe, builds on the old styles, while introducing a more varied and interesting instrument grouping. A truly fantastic soundscape!

3. Dreams Within a Dream - As one might suspect from the name of the song, the title track is dreamy, ethereal, and full of effortless beauty. A bit more subdued than the tracks previous, it evokes an almost trancelike fantasy for the ears and mind. One cannot escape the overall sense of minimalism so far in the EP, however, that in itself is what truly makes these tracks, especially this one, truly special. Use of choirs near the end perfectly compliment the Dream, as well as the Dreamer.

4. Season of the Fall - On the fourth track, we are greeted with acoustic, classical guitar, as well as woodwind ensemble (finally!!) Another journey unfolds here, a calming trip to the woods in the newborn Autumn. Solo string use is exemplary, with percussive keys playing through the mist behind. I had to stop and listen to this one several times over, so as not to miss anything. Really loved this one.

5. Cthulhu Rising - I had been very familiar with the demo version of this track. This mastered re-make was truly a welcome surprise! Nothing wrong with the original, mind you, but this restructure is simply amazing! This track successfully evokes a dark and watery vision of this Lovecraft-created demigod. At first oppressive and shocking, then ethereal and full of beauty. This track exibits the true genious of Hoyland. Great writing and structure, along with perfectly picked instruments and pads. This track is perfect to close the EP with.....and it leaves the listener wanting infinitely more....

In conclusion, this surprise EP from Hoyland is an absolute MUST HAVE for any fan of the Ethereal/Soundtrack/Minimalist/Dark Ambient genres. Truly something for every taste, and at under $5 (USD), an excellent value! Get yours today!

-M-

http://hoyland.bandcamp.com/album/dreams-within-a-dream-e-p

Very good album !