PROLIFIC NEW ZEALANDER ANTONY MILTON HAS A DOZEN OR MORE MUSICAL INCARNATIONS, RELEASING CDS, CD-RS AND LPS ON HIS OWN PSEUDOARCANA RECORD LABEL AS AM, BIRDCATCHER, GLORY FCKN SUN, PAPER WINGS, SUNKEN AND THE STUMPS, AMONG OTHERS.  THE NETHER DAWN PROJECT MELDS DRONES WITH FREE IMPROV ACOUSTIC GUITAR TO CREATE LENGTHY ESSAYS IN STARK LIGHT AND SHADE.

WELL SONG WAS RECORDED IN A BUNKER ON NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH ISLAND.  MILTON WAS ATTRACTED NOT ONLY BY THE SPECTACULAR VIEWS, BUT BY THE ECHOING QUALITY OF SOUNDS IN THE BUNKER’S CAVE-LIKE CONFINES.  IT IS A VIRTUAL EXTRA INSTRUMENT, AND THE CAVERNOUS ECHO THAT ENROBES THESE FRACTURED DRONES IS A UNIFYING THREAD IN THE RECORDINGS.

AT ITS MOST COMPELLING THIS ALBUM RECALLS THE DREAM SYNDICATE RECORDINGS OF TONY CONRAD AND JOHN CALE.  A TRACK LIKE “STILL WATCH THE SKY” OPENS WITH THE SLOWNESS OF FOG LIFTING FROM THE SHORE, LAYERS OF VIOLIN AND WASHES OF ELECTRONICS BUILDING INTO A PULSING, HYPNOTIC MACHINE.  THERE’S A SIMILAR EBBING URGENCY TO THE INTENSE “STEP THROUGH THE NIGHT”, WHICH, DESPITE THE ECHO OF THE BUNKER, HAS A CLAUSTROPHOBIC CENTER WHERE MILTON HALF-SINGS, HALF-WHISPERS THE ALBUM’S ONLY LYRICS.  ELSEWHERE HE PLAYS AN EXPRESSIVE, BRITTLE STYLE OF ACOUSTIC GUITAR, THRUSTING AND VIVID ON “RISE”, SPARSE AND DELICATE ON THE SOMNAMBULANT “FOOLS SWEET RAMBLE”.  WHETHER PLAYING WITH SCRUBBED FIERCENESS OR THE LIGHTEST OF TOUCH, HIS GUITAR PLAYING MAKES THESE RECORDINGS STAND OUT AMONG THE MANY FREE FOLK DIRGES AROUND THESE DAYS.

NICK SOUTHGATE – WIRE MAGAZINE