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UNCUT / UK / September 2007 This ambitious work succeeds by sounding like a David Lynch film scored by a strung-out Morricone. Chris Roberts THE INDEPENDANT / UK / September 2007 Strings of Consciousness are the first act signed to Barry Adamson's new label. Our Moon is Full features vivid and challenging instrumental arrangements as backdrops to sinister tales delivered by guest vocalists. But if Adamson's work could be characterised as aural film noir, then Strings of Consciousness are more the equivalent of European art-house cinema, these eight pieces not so much composed as congealed. Some, like "While the Sun Burns Out Another Sun" and the miniature "Defrost Oven", are quiet, sparse ambient explorations of harp, guitar or vibes; others such as "Crystallize It" and "Sonic Glimpses" deploy more testing sheets of distorted guitar noise. Best of all are the opener "Asphodel", in which a crackling, creaking Heath Robinson bricolage of clicks, scrapes and squeaks is assembled into a cohesive bed for Jim (Foetus) Thirlwell's multi-tracked Beatle-ish harmonies; and "In Between", a tour de force of improvisational skill and sensitivity. Andy Gill arts.independent.co.uk/ ALL MUSIC GUIDE / USA / August 2007 In experimental circles, electronica-related and otherwise, the mid-2000s marked a slight return to the song format. Call it the logical extension of the underground folk revival or more simply a desire to apply experimental findings to genres of wider appeal, the fact remains that noisy textures, electronic constructs, and post-rock anthems permeated into the song realm, to a point where some reviewers started writing about "electro-acoustic pop." Strings of Consciousness' debut full-length marvelously illustrates how artistically successful this approach can be. The international collective blends acoustic instruments (sax, cello, trumpet, harp, vibraphone) and computer treatments; melodies and texture layers; narratives and abstractions. The group's lineup features seasoned experimentalists Hervé Vincenti, Stefano Tedesco, and Philippe Petit, Spaceheads/Pere Ubu's Andy Diagram, the Sea and Cake's Alison Chesley -- and that's only part of the group's core. Also present are the guest vocalists: Foetus' J.G. Thirlwell, Girls Against Boys' Scott McCloud, and the almighty Barry Adamson, again just to name a few. The music does not blend only sound sources (acoustic/electronic), but genres, too: folk, industrial (the Current 93-tinged "Crystallize It"), even Western in "In Between," featuring a captivating recitation by Pete Simonelli. If the album contains occasional moments of brightness (the short "Defrost_Oven" with wordless vocalizing by Lisa Smith-Klossner), most of it is pretty dark, including the disc's two undisputed highlights: "Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness," featuring Oxbow's Eugene Robinson, and "While the Sun Burns Out Another Sun," with the post-beat poetry of Black Sifichi. Our Moon Is Full adopts the song format; however, it never becomes about catchy tunes. On the contrary, this moody album requires a few listens to sink in because, even though it presents a cohesive personality, its beauties are so numerous and subtle that they take time to unfold. A serious contender for year-end lists across the board. François Couture wc01.allmusic.com/Read full review
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