The Hope Blister - Happiness Strings (4AD mp3) (2005)

This Mortal Coil Mark II's  Gorecki-like rendering of David Sylvian classic.

The Hope Blister was the name that Ivo Watts-Russell gave what was effectively the fourth This Mortal Coil album '...Smile's Okay'.

A further collection of gorgeously sombre covers and originals, it featured covers of songs by Brian Eno, Slowdive, John Cale, Cranes and more. It was mined for a further album of odds and ends ('Underarms') and then a final scraping ('Underarms & Sideways') which collected string parts, fragments and such.

This string arrangement for the cover of David Sylvian's 'Let The Happiness In' is a frosty piece of modern classical, redolent of Gorecki and therefore somewhat akin to the Constellation/Godspeed You! Black Emporer sound.

Austere and restrained, it hangs in the air like a fog of longing and contemplation.

Download The Hope Blister 'Happiness Strings' (alternative, modern classical, 4AD mp3) (Mediafire)

Listening Post - Kate Bush '50 Words For Snow' (Fish People, 2011)

Kate Bush continues where 'Aerial' left off, drifting even further into abstract, comtemplative territory.

'Aerial' was a gorgeous, deep amber dream of a record, sliding out of reach of trad song structures away into the stripped back, piano-led territory of Talk Talk's 'Spirit Of Eden'.

On first listen, '50 Words For Snow' is as good, moving further away from song structures. Sounding wonderful to me.

Tracklist:
Snowflakes
Lake Tahoe
Misty
Wild Man
Snowed In A Wheeler Street
50 Words For Snow
Among Angels

Listen to Kate Bush '50 Words For Snow' (via NPR.org)

Listening Post - Esmerine 'La Lechuza' (Constellation, 2011)

Epic, ornate post-rock/modern classical hybrid from alumni of Godspeed You! Black Emporer, A Silver Mt Zion and Set Fire To Flames.

'La Lechuza' is the first Esmerine release since 2005 and the first to be released on Constellation. It's a beautifully poised record comprising strings, piano, harp and a host of elegant arrangements.

Tracklist:
A Dog River
Walking Through Mist
Last Waltz
Trampolin   
Snow Day For Lhasa
Sprouts
Little Streams Make Big Rivers
Au Crepuscule, Sans Laisse
Fish On Land 



La Lechuza - ESMERINE by Constellation Records