-=- SHGZ -=- * Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal * ARTIST..: Virginia Astley ALBUM...: Hope In A Darkened Heart GENRE...: Ambient STYLE...: Electronic, Ethereal, Dream Pop, Abstract, Minimal YEAR....: 1992 LABEL...: WEA COUNTRY.: United Kingdom PLACE...: Garston, Hertfordshire ENCODER.: LAME 3.100 -V0 BITRATE.: 256 kbps avg QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / Joint Stereo SOURCE..: CD TRACKS..: 10 SIZE....: 78.66 MB URL..: https://www.virginiaastley.com/disc/albums/html/hope_cd2.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Astley https://www.virginiaastley.com/biography https://www.bing.com/k/celebrities/virginia-astley/timeline - TRACKLIST 1 Some Small Hope 4:10 2 A Father 3:50 3 So Like Dorian 4:32 4 I'm Sorry 5:44 5 Tree Top Club 3:49 6 Charm 5:01 7 Love's A Lonely Place To Be 3:27 8 A Summer Long Since Passed 4:37 9 Darkness Has Reached Its End 3:49 10 A Day, A Night (Japan Bonus Track) 3:43 Total Playtime: 42:42 Reissue with bonus track 1992 (WEA - WMC5-567). Originally released in 1986 (WEA û 242039-2) https://www.discogs.com/release/1657512-Virginia-Astley-Hope-In-A-Darkened-Heart * Virginia Astley is a dream pop singer/songwriter from the UK. Her 4th full-length release "Hope In A Darkened Heart" (1986) is nine-track album, seven of which were produced by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (????). As the title implies, the general theme is centered on introspection and the endeavor to establish resolution during times of emotional turmoil. The opening track "Some Small Hope" was written by Virginia Astley and Mr. Sakamoto, and is sang as a duet between her and former Japan vocalist David Sylvian. It comes as no surprise therefore, that her work had gained quite a bit of popularity in Japan compared to the small-scale groups of devoted listeners throughout England. The remainder of the album features Ms. Astley singing solo. If I had to compare her vocals to anyone, it would most likely have to be Annie Haslam, who is best known as lead singer for the English progressive rock band Renaissance. Albeit neither reaching a vocal range as high nor performing quite as powerfully, which to be fair was unlikely the intention given the nature of the material, Ms. Astley sings with the same gentle quality that Annie had for Renaissance's ballad tracks, all the while exercising just the right amount of breath control. Two other tracks I feel are worth highlighting are "A Summer Long Since Passed" and "Darkness has Reached its End". The former is an alternative version that was originally featured on the 1983 release "From Gardens Where We Feel Secure", and while it has no actual lyrics, Astley's vocals serve as an additional instrument nonetheless. It's become one of her most well-known songs among fans. The latter serves as a conclusion to the spiritual journey that was narrated in the preceding songs. Reference is made to a growing child, which symbolizes how time will continue to move forward and how despite having her own share of regrets in life, her optimism outweighs the pain she had experienced. Although this album was a somewhat accidental discovery, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to explore it, and it is undoubtedly something I expect to revisit frequently. Ryuichi Sakamoto, who has always been known for his emotional piano pieces, creates melodies that are both suitable for the material and complementary to Ms. Astley's voice. If you're someone with a profound appreciation for melancholic, introspective, and eloquent forms of self-expression, "Hope in a Darkened Heart" is certainly worth your time. - RYM -=- SHGZ -=- -=-=-==-=-=- Dream Pop is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as reverb, echo, tremolo, and chorus. It often overlaps with the related genre of shoegaze, and the two genre terms have at times been used interchangeably. ---==--==---