CUTS – All That Was Lost & Other Failures Album Review (AOTM August)

The sharp-eyed among you might immediately notice that this ‘Album of the Month’ is already a year old. So why did I choose a year-old album for this month? Honestly, June and July have been relatively dull months when it comes to new releases. I’ve come across a few good albums, but none have really stood out enough for me to even consider them as the album of the month. At the same time, I stumbled upon an old companion who had released music that I completely missed.

‘CUTS’ is a British electronic music artist whose work I first encountered in 2018 when he released the album ‘A Gradual Decline’. This release quickly became one of the best albums of the year for me. The album was a kind of statement on the environmental crisis, featuring, among other things, field recordings of melting glaciers.

Two years after the release of ‘A Gradual Decline’, ‘CUTS’ released the album ‘UNREAL’, which didn’t quite resonate with me. It had its moments, but somehow it didn’t reach the same heights as ‘A Gradual Decline’.

However, to my delight, about a month ago, I discovered a new album that was released a year ago. According to the artist, the album was created mostly during the COVID lockdown, using old field recordings and improvisation. The album is a stunning ambient soundscape that occasionally includes distant elements of modern classical music. In principle, there’s nothing particularly surprising or innovative about the album, but every piece falls perfectly into place.

You can also clearly hear an organic soundscape, likely born from the artist’s field recordings. Combined with the electronic landscape and occasionally beautiful simple melodies, it’s an unbeatable combination. The tracks sometimes grow into massive sound walls, reminiscent of classic post-rock elements without the rock. I imagine that ‘CUTS’ use of improvisation in the tracks has successfully created an emotional environment that is conveyed to the listener through many small familiar and unfamiliar sounds.

Release Date: June 2, 2023

CUTS – All That Was Lost & Other Failures

Album of the Month by Cuberat