Angels of Light - We Are Him
9.2.7 Eric Nielsen
On tour in summer '06, my buddy played this amazing track of beautiful chanting and spiritual chaos as I rode the bullet trains through the country side of
Japan: a split album of Michael Gira's Angels of Light and the Akron/Family. From that first listen, I was hooked.

Angels of Light have released a new album, We Are Him, that burns into you over repeated listening; much like a Cormac McCarthy book. Beautifully scorched existentialism dripping creepy hope in the pristine and powerful desert, "there is nothing to fear because nothing is real,” “for the promise of water I'll walk on my knees."

This album hosts a long list of excellent players, from bands such as Ministry, Antony and the Johnsons, Devendra, REM, The Swans, Cop Shoot Cop and so on. With Akron Family laying down the basics so lovely, leaving lots of room for Michael Gira and his host of players to flesh out the rest. It's a huge success, elaborately arranged and meticulously crafted. more

The album rests on the crux of Gira's vocals and lyrics fantastically and tenderly backed up by the Akron Family. A couple of times the insanity of the Akrons bust through and chug the album through their territory and it is a fucking dream of tender transcendence.

The Akrons add just the right neo-folk-freak to the authoritative voice of Gira for the record to be a rousing success. The stately singing has a voice of experience, one that you can trust, an icon of truth. The range and breadth of the songs spin all over the place, Nick Cave, Lou Reed, alt alt country, "Just let go now" and enter the mind altering and uplifting experience that is this album.

The mantra "this is not here, this is not now" works like a magical chant that can break you out of whatever illusion of reality you are suffering. The repetitive, lovely loop of instruments blesses and matches the singing and emote a new reality. Siobahn Duffy lays out a great vocal track with Michael on this song and it stands out as one of the best tracks on the record. It’s a very Eno thing for me.

Through his label Young God Records, Gira has put out some of the greatest records of late. With the Akron Family, Devendra and now Angels of Light; he has positioned himself as a true curator of angels: angels of light.

Join the illustrious light listen to these songs as together they are one of the albums of the year. Go buy it! And, I can't wait to the hear the new Akron Family record, Love is Simple out the 18th of this month.