Aun - Black Pyramid (2010)

Continuing on the foundations laid with the acclaimed 2009 album Motorsleep, AUN are further blurring the line where earth and space intersect with the ominous floating monolith "Black Pyramid". Casting a new shadow, the seven tracks that make up Black Pyramid are loosely inspired by the worlds created by visionary french artist Enki Bilal. While still dealing in dark matter, the twisted guitar and electronics mutations find the duo at their most melodic, luminous and accessible yet, but in the world of AUN there is always a very fine line between light and darkness. AUN's singular psychedelic ambient drones laid on Black Pyramid definitely marks this release as some of their best work yet, and this says a lot about the sheer power of this new album given their prolific and highly praised discography.

I like surprises, though pleasant ones in particular. Just when I thought I could write down Cyclic Law as a slightly predictable label with minimalist dark ambient of usually high quality and occasional orchestral or martial outbursts, just then comes along an album like Black Pyramid. AUN is a duo (Martin Dumais and Julie Leblanc) from Montréal, with a couple of albums to their name already. If this most recent offering is representative, it’s an oeuvre stitched together from ambient, drones, and guitar psychedelia. The seven soundscapes on this album are highly varied, showcasing a wide array of textures conjured from synths and guitars, often forming subtle rhythms from the layering of melodic lines on different levels and loops. The result is stunning, combining the bright and deep colourings of astronomical inspiration with both coarse and delicate edges to the sound. The title track is an excellent example, with its shimmering main melody waves and some rawer bits sticking out here and there. Of note is also the masterful closer “Shining”, starting with a psychy guitar freakout and segueing into massive distorted rhythms and drones. It’s a perfect move on Cyclic Law’s part to sign AUN, as this is simply a stunning album. Obligatory listening for all ambient lovers, especially if you like Troum, Alphane Moon, and others in that vein where ambient, drone, ritual, and spaciousness meet.

TRACKS
01.Phoenix 07:05
02.Taurus Ten 06:20
03.Black Pyramid 08:01
04.Ursa Major 06:39
05.2095 08:03
06.Ursa Minor 02:43
07.Shining 09:16