Alcest 

Les Voyages de Lame

Prophecy Records

5.0

Alcest is founded on a single principle; to spread the mystic messages of an other worldly place that the bands founder Niege remembers from his childhood. A place that transcends the physical world around us, a place where everything and everyone is connected to something greater than themselves. A place of peace, love an ultimate understanding. A noble concept indeed. There is nothing wrong with putting out an album that encourages people to shed the mundane bullshit that is our daily lives and strive to get in touch with something deeper and more spiritual than the things we see around us. But at the same time, the notion that there is a magic land out there, just beyond our reach can be a little hard to swallow, but that is what makes the concept Alcest interesting. They have a message they want to get to the masses and use amazing music to spread the word. Even if you think the whole other world thing is a little off you can’t deny that Alcest creates music that is as heavy as it is ethereal.

“Les Voyages de Lame” expands on where the last album left off. Alcest ramps up the shoegaze influence on this album a bit more to give it an other worldly feel that is absolutely beautiful If the world that Neige described in “Le Secret” sounded nice, but it still had the air of just being a beautiful concept. Something that it was nice to think about, but nothing you could actually grasp onto. With “Les Voyages de Lame” Neige has taken that world and transformed into a living, breathing thing. A place that may truly exists that you want to be a part of. As with “Le Secret”, “Les Voyages de Lame” is sung competely in French, but don’t worry about not understanding the lyrics. Les Voyages de Lame” is an album that speaks to the heart and the imagination with its dreamy soundscapes. The softness of Neige’s voice only adds to the feeling of being transported someplace better than where you are now. He whispers are comforting, like he knows exactly what’s troubling you at that very moment and mouths the words you need to shake off the shit and move you to a better place. After listening to “Les Voyages de Lame” all I know is I want to live in Neige’s world.