This first release by Noche Oscura is a nice discovery, a solo project that despite its Hispanic moniker is of Polish origin. Wojciech Szachowski offers over half an hour of music that moves rather restless between ambient, post-metal and drone, however, favoring the most dreamy component of the sound, the album is based primarily on the excellent acoustic guitar work of the Wroclaw musician, which is conveniently helped by some guests who enhance everything with the contribution of piano, violin and some percussive touch. The final result is extremely satisfying because Gate resolves a work that is anything but tedious, thanks to the wise dosage between melody and sound research, and this balance allows the sound to become neither too suffocating nor, on the contrary, too light and unable to hit. A melancholic aura remains however well present in the course of the whole work, even if the figure suspended on the precipice, appreciable in the beautiful cover, could make one think of a more negative mood; Gate turns out to be a pleasantly brilliant album despite its only apparent linearity, revealing Szachowski’s good talent.

2018 – B.S.F.D. Records