Art Of Life’s debut album fits in perfectly with the Kindisch approach, which is essentially laid back but has an undercurrent of positive energy. The duo here, Oleg Makovskiy and Paul Twins, slot seamlessly into the structure of an album, for ‘Poet’s Dream’ is a multi-layered affair. Sometimes, as on the title track, it gives off the air of blissful contentment, but on other occasions there is a darker side coming through, reflected in the choice of instrumentation of tracks like ‘Disagreement’ – which has the hint of trouble its title suggests. ‘He Is Behind Your Eyes’ is an incredibly deep experience, smooth as dark velvet, but elsewhere the inclusion of an edgy beat or two means the listener is never completely lulled into a sense of complacency. A really excellent album that if anything improves with repeated listening.
Ben Hogwood
5 out of 5
