£5.20
"Pathless" is a brand new, limited edition self release by Ekca Liena. It comes in some fantastic packaging, each one individually made with a unique photograph and ink splatters with an ace screen printed disc of psychedelic colours and swirls. Musically, it's hard to believe that this collection of tracks is stuff that never had a proper home; as it is some of Ekca's finest work I've heard so far. The disc begins with wind chimes and piano, building a slow tension as all the sounds dance around your brain in a dark manner. The next track, entitled "Cloud Movements", starts off equally sinister before a sustained string sound builds into a layered choral sound. By now, the tone of the piece has changed and an light airiness takes over which is fantastically uplifting. "Fading Youth" and "Fading Youth 2" are, for me, the highlights of the album. Reversed pianos and voice samples play over smokey synths and haze. As is with most of Ekca's work, the tracks are so detailed; although on paper drone pieces, there is just so much going on within the tracks. The combination of the pianos and the voice samples, which have been brilliantly processed, is just staggering. The final part of "Fading Youth 2" is beyond belief, giving you an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, pain and regret. It is without a doubt, Ekca's finest track to date. The disc is bought to a close with "Lonely Nights End", a stark and bleak track with desperate acoustic guitar plucking over dense droning.
If you're going to buy one thing today, make it be this.