Night On Earth Title: Second Hand Label: Upstar/SIN/Greece Year: 2009 Rating: 3 / 5

An eight piece collective is almost non-existent these days. Especially when that eight piece collective have diverse musical backgrounds that somehow blend melancholic jazzy moods over trip-hop with a touch of spacey sounds and trippy sounds. This eight piece collective known as Night On Earth has delicately pieced an album full of daunting soundscapes, fit for those somber bittersweet moments in life. Second Hand is a collection of songs that project a dismal yet spiritual wall of sound drenched in melodies that resonate far beyond the usual. Although the group is compromised of eight talented musicians, the one single focus of this album is Ms. Sophia. Sophia’s vocals are immaculate. Her vocal performance on this record presents pain, joy, laughter, desperation and hope, seared over the band’s unorthodox jazz influenced sound. Sophia’s voice sounds like Billie Holiday under the influence, Bjork, in her most tenacious vocal state, and Portishead in audible desolate intonations. Sophia’s best performances could be heard on the songs “Crocus’ and in all her glory on “Atman” where she perfectly blends all those influences into one eccentric piece of composition. “Within The Fire” is Sophia’s crowning moment on this album and true to the music, she belts it out above the standard and from left field. Let’s not count out the band here though. The band is musically agile and informed. The band does play the jazzy, tripped out core of the music to it’s fringes but deep within it all, the talent is not unheard. The walking piano riffs, awesome string structures, improvised grooves and ambience, detailed instrumentations, deviant arrangements and their peculiar penchant for droning compositions complete the cinematic sound of Night On Earth. The band comes into full circle on “Within The Fire” where the eight piece collective rounds out the musical journey with a solid musical structure that coherently blends the bands diverse musical background as a whole. I wouldn’t recommend Night On Earth’s Second Hand to get the party started but on a solemn night of reflection, there wouldn’t be a better album to accompany you. The soundscapes that Night On Earth have created on this album are full of emotions, feeling, absorptions, cinematic flair and thoughtful musical weight that will take your soulful mood to higher plains and greater heights.

By: Gian Erguiza