MIRROR "Live in Bern"
Three Poplars | 3P-16 | CD-R | 2003

It occurred to me for a moment that there may be no point in reviewing a release that's probably out of print for a long time now. However, I am aware of the fact how generally Mirror's stuff is hard to find (especially that on their own label Three Poplars which is sold as hot cakes by the reason of its limitedness), so my words are for those who aren't among the owners of one (or more) of the 149 copies lucky to buy this rarity (the 1 st edition of 49 CD copies was pressed to be sold during Mirror's concert in Scotland, and the 2 nd edition of 100 CD-R copies for 'standard' sale). At the very first sight, it is possible to ascertain without greater risk that 'Live in Bern' doesn't go beyond the group's canon established by their former records, and as you may suppose it has never the duo's aim to do so. As Mirror, Andrew Chalk and Christopher Heemann seem to specialize in creating dark, sonic nebullas. That stylistic indeterminacy is their natural enviroment for unquickly drifts to the corners of calm and sound. Delicate rings of glockspells, wooden bells reverb on the background of almost unnoticeable drones, and noises. No one and nothing is in a hurry. As the record progresses on, the increasing number of sound sources makes the music more complex, but enough to destroy that oneiric mood the musicians managed to evoke. We stay in that soft and dark sonic cocoon for about 50 minutes, but cannot say what exactly we're experiencing now. I think the magic force of Mirror's music works only in the very special moment of listening to it, once the last sounds fade away, we start to think about what's particularly phenomenal about Mirror. Still cannot say, but it's intriguing me...

[krzysztof sadza]