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On her new album Robin Kester goes deeper into her music. The result is an album that is even dreamier than her previous work, yet there are more than enough details that will keep the listener from falling asleep. In fact, (s)he's kept on his toes at all the right moments.
Dark Sky Reserve was recorded in the U.K. with Ali Chant producing with mostly local musicians in supporting roles. This makes the album different from what came before. With a song like 'Talybont-on-Usk I even wondered if Nick Drake would sound like this had he recorded his music today.
This is not the case in the song that have a firm percussive drive. But even here the mix of indie and jazzy parts take the music in an unexpected direction. Here the sound of Bowie's 'Blackstar' shines through. The dreamy, yet mature voice of Robin Kester is the anchor that makes it Robin Kester's music. Because of these surprises, Dark Sky Reserve is a far more experimental album that I gave it credit for after the more superficial listening sessions. This is an album that only gives its secrets away when listening seriously to it. It grows because of the attention, as there is so much more than I heard at first.
For one the album is far more electronic than I gave it credit for. 'Game Sounds' is almost a sort of erratic dance track. While in other songs there is a clear folk reference but the music is dressed up as something totally different. An artist I think of at times is Chantal Acda. No matter how different, both work from a certain mood and that links them musically at some points. Robin Kester does not provide much of a handle to hold on to. Dark Sky Reserve is the kind of album that you just have to undergo, move with the flow it offers. When you do, you are rewarded in quite a satisfying way.
Wout de Natris - van der Borght
You can listen to and order Dark Sky Reserve here:
https://robinkester.bandcamp.com/album/dark-sky-reserve
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