Dikolson is one man, Filip Misek, although he's managed to enlist a fairly substantial collection of guests to help him in his quest to produce an album that's rich in texture, layered and yet at the same time subtle and understated. A rather charming set of post-rock electro that has a refreshing lightness of touch, 'The Bear is Sleeping' is an imaginative and well-crafted work that reaches the parts other albums rarely do.
Largely instrumental, the tracks that do feature vocals, notably 'This Shivering', use the voice as another instrument, another element of atmosphere, rather than the focal feature. Dance and techno elements meld with acoustic guitars and softer hues, with the result being a sound that's It's done to gentle and yet enticing effect, the sounds stippling together to create a softly radiant whole. That said, there is drama, with jarring brass at a tangent to the main tune. There are further surprises in store, too, such as the orchestral 'Ruprecht' which sweeps and glides majestically, while 'Mercury' is reminiscent of the kind of ambient techno bands like The Beloved were producing in the early 90s, only infinitely better. Even the amusingly inappropriately-titled 'Plop' is a success, a bleak expanse of synth contrails and a slowly-building rhythm.
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The key to the success of 'The Bear is Sleeping Now' is the way in which the rhythms and textures – not to mention the moods – are widely varied, meaning there's an unpredictability that render it impossible to settle into a comfortable zone. This is definitely a good thing, not least of all because Misek achieves this diversity without ever compromising the album's cohesion.
Well worth exploring.
Dikolson Online
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