A spellbinding ode to love lost, and possibly to be gained, from Belgium’s Annelies Monseré, one of the few contemporary artists to release new recordings amid Stroom’s classic reissue schedule - although you’d hardly tell from the timeless, ghostly quality of her signing and gothic backdrops. Described by Ziggy Devriendt’s (a.k.a. DJ Nosedrip) label as “…a record about a parting of ways. It is dedicated to the one who has been left behind and the one who left” the latest LP from Annelies is unmistakably shaded with a mittel european sense of sombre, nocturnal, romantic themes, using a blend of electronic and acoustic instruments to paint stark chambers of sound ready for intimate reflection and contemplation.
The lyrics of each song are included for disambiguity, but to be fair Annalies doesn’t hide behind glossolalia or any sort of wistful whimpering, masterfully mixing her vocals for plaintive legibility and with transfixing effect that’s only accentuated by the stripped back, refined poise of her undulating organ lines, glowing synths and sighing accordion phrasing. In the most beautiful way, ‘Happiness Is Within Sight’ strikes the finest balance of vulnerability and quietly resolute strength, of classicism and timelessnes, making for a record that rewards many return listens - soemthing we could say about almost any Stroom release, but very strongly here.

Don’t miss! (Boomkat)