At its core At The End Of A Day, the new offering from YuTaNi, exists as an experimental collection of ambient electronic pieces.
Much of the album is absent of what could be described as a typical musical structure; is almost exclusively instrumental; and is often devoid of tonality – all of which will alienate many but enables YuTaNi to build a transcendent audio-based world that makes conjuring an accurate summation for such a body of work a difficult task.
To analyse the collection on a track-by-track basis, discussing particular merits or issues of each piece individually would be entirely unnecessary, however there is a noticeable conflict within the album that is highlighted in certain pieces.
The opening three tracks (of names so lengthy as to make it impractical to detail them explicitly) possess an intricacy even in sections where very little movement seems to occur, and indeed much of the album is crafted in this style, in what can only be described as minimalist sonic landscapes, where certain pieces would be more readily recognised as concepts rather than songs.
Said landscapes and their simplistic complexity are evidently the product of a substantial command of the means of production and well-developed musicianship, and indeed the diversity and depth of character between tracks creates a natural ebb and flow to the listening experience for the most part.
However while the early pieces within the collection are well measured, certain musical ideas out-stay their welcome in later tracks almost to the point of frustration.
‘Entrance Stone’ for example provides a positive moment of clarity amongst the various soundscapes, but struggles to hold the listeners attention for its full duration of just under eight minutes.
That being said, ‘Mt. Minakami’ possesses glorious shades of Tycho that are incredibly welcome and enables the track to stand out within the context of the album.
The atmosphere captured within the lion’s share of YuTaNi’s audio adventure is expansive and impressive, and indeed the strength of At The End Of A Day is felt most significantly when it leaves conventional thinking behind and reaches toward visceral, less conventional musical ideas that communicate raw, unquantifiable essence rather than trying to become just another sonic exercise.
The landscapes created have moments of incandescence, and despite minor qualms regarding sections of the greater work, for significant periods of my time with At The End Of A Day I was lost to the world, and it to me.
Make no mistake, At The End Of A Day is not easily understood, and while certain aspects of the collection are more accessible than others, the casual listener or fans of less niche genres may find it somewhat impenetrable.
However, those so inclined to spend the time will likely find significant reward.
Words: Michael Mavor
Rave Child 