NADJA "RUINS OF MORNING" (Drone Records)

One of the most understated and lovely Nadja releases i've heard in a long time, and an excellent rebound from the woefully conceived "Under the Jaguar Sun" set. This one reminds me of why i love Nadja so much and reaffirms my belief in the awesome emotional power their dirging hypnosludge contains.

Released by the might Drone Records (owned by one half of German dream-droners Troum, whom i hold in the highest regard) as part of their new series celebrating the concept of the unknown, "Ruins of Morning" is comprised of two 20 minute sides of the same song run through in two entirely different ways with each side showcasing an extreme facet of Nadja's approach to the holy drone. Side A is the "quieter" version of the song and from the moment the needle drops a sort of serenity and warmth falls over everything, like you're being held in a pair of watery hands looking to keep all of the shit away from you. It's hushed and welcoming and though there is a small tinge of darkness to the track it never becomes overwhelming; it's more like nighttime fading into a deeper shade of that night, a mumbly sleepytime of blushing yellow stars and sky-smearing comets. As the track plays through its graceful movement it becomes more minimalist and drawn out until the only thing remaining is a soft mine of comforting rumble pulling you further and further into somnus.

Side B takes off immediately with Nadja as the dreamsludge bringers of ubercrush that they are. Here the lovely song from the first side is given new life as a dirging lullaby crusted over with mountains of thick, crumbling distortion and the plodding drums that grow ever more stylized and inimitable with each new album. Even though the song is the same, the more metallized approach creates a serious feeling of the vaguely unrecognizable, a hazy murk of barely glimpsed recollection and a slightly nostalgic hint of deja vu. It seems like such a simple thing-anyone could play the same song twice and vary it a little-but Nadja create a connect and a disconnect between these two versions, an ethereal bridge that might or might not bear weight were you to actually test it. Both sides are obscured by swirling fogs, but both are welcoming. Again the track becomes more and more minimalist as it progresses, receding into memory as it too pulls you deeper into a lulled state of relaxation.

One of Nadja's best; Drone do an outstanding job on the package as well, making this an essential piece for any serious follower of Aidan and Leah's work. Beautiful, dreamy and highly recommended.