Conor Fynes 'Pat Hof Neu Rog Ene Sis' - Senmuth (6/10)

After years and dozens of albums produced, it's very clear now that Senmuth has learned from alot of his mistakes, and is making a generally higher grade of album as his process matures. With another of his 2010 releases 'Pat Hof Neu Rog Ene Sis,' Senmuth shows a much more melodic and purposeful instrumental style than was heard in the past from his work. The compositions are much tighter, and there is a much greater sense of meaning to each note the Russian multi-instrumentalist places in the music. Despite a much greater sense of execution and experimentation to it though, 'Pat Hof Neu Rog Ene Sis' cannot be considered an excellent album.

While Senmuth seems to have finally dealt with all of the biggest execution issues alot of his past music faced and consequently suffered from, there are still issues of the composition and songwriting itself. While there is a degree of experimentation here that puts the more 'avant' leanings of early work to shame, there still seems like there aren't enough melodic hooks, or weirdness to go around. Despite now verging on the avant-garde in terms of his experimentation with sound, 'Pat Hof Neu Rog Ene Sis' doesn't seem like it has enough overt weirdness and depth to warrant the lack of melodic structure to it. While melody isn't necessarily essential to experimental/avant-garde music, it does feel like it's missing here.

Lackings aside however, there is a wealth of imagination here. From the industrial percussive sirens of 'P.H.N.R.E.S.: Neuroanomaly' to the bleak acoustic atmosphere of 'Настоящее: В Прекрасных Растворяясь Снах,' there are certainly sections that spur the listener's interest. Many Senmuth albums have a way of sounding very much the same throughout, but 'Pat Hof Neu Rog Ene Sis' seems to resist that temptation, and deliver a relatively diverse offering. Holding true to the concept of 'experimental music,' some of the ideas here work, and others do not. However, for someone that is much more experienced with the earlier, less involving work of Senmuth's past, this is a sure sign of greater things to come.