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Artist: Nibana Title: Earth From Above Label: Self-released Release date: June 1st, 2018 Its hard to want to compliment this album. On hand it deserves all the praise that it deserves, Every moment is filled with emotion that takes you on a journey from start to finish. On the other hand, I find it awkward to praise something that comes from a place of loss and pain. But on listen after listen I find the album to have less to do with pain and more to do with the beauty of life. Kevin has shared his recent journey with his late father to the world and it feels strange for me to give it the glowing review I think it deserves. Maybe I’m overthinking it. So less thinking more typing. Mind in a shell: A beautiful track with fat synths that fill every inch of every space in the room. The talking at the start is completely well placed, a theme we are gonna discover throughout the album. Earth From Above: Another powerful composition that brought me to the brink of tears. Emotions I haven’t thought to seek out from music flood through me as the journey continues up and up. The intensity builds and builds, it just won't stop. Perfect When Comes the Pain: 'Oh shit it's gonna be a sad track'. No, nothing but, nothing but beauty from start to finish. Moonset: Another emotion laden track, slightly more reserved than the others but executed just as well. A Dive into Ether: An intense intro leads us to a more intense track which I never want to end. The 4:40 break is simply too good to describe... Alright I'll try. Ethereal, enigmatic, deep AND not actually a break, just a great, lovely outro. Gods From The Machine: Hot damn can he give me at least one thing to criticise? Nope, not gonna happen, I'd call this a favourite but every track here is. A little faster and more optimistic than the rest of the album, another beauty. Legacy (With Suduaya): Oh shit, he had to go bring Sudu onto a track and it works like a charm. More optimistic still and more covered with beautiful beautiful human emotions. Thus we leave (Ft. Isabella Fabric): Nibana and Isabella prove that through the pain of losing someone close to you, comes a beauty that is a life lived. A life of experiences, connections, creations and belonging. The track itself is my favourite on the album. From where it starts to where it finishes, just wowie. Give me a live band performance please. I maintain the Ancient Greek outlook on death, that dying well is just another aspect to living the good life and a noble thing to be able to achieve. That being said I’ve never lost a loved one to sickness and until this album haven’t been able to picture myself in that situation. Kevin has granted me access into that world and shown me a a range of emotions that I have not been privy to until now. Interesting enough the album takes a more upbeat angle towards the end. Nibana's musical diversity is pretty outstanding and now I can add to that, in that he has a remarkable ability to portray emotion through music. I love every piece of dubby, psybient art that Nibana gives us, but I love this album the most. Big thanks to Kevin for releasing this. https://nibana.bandcamp.com/album/earth-from-above