Doomina – Elsewhere LP (Noise Appeal Records)

I am exploring another Doomina release today. This time, I am going even deeper into the past and revisiting Elsewhere, their second full-length album released in 2013. Perhaps it has been a decade since these folks released this post-rock gem via Noise Appeal Records, but this material ages like a fine wine. There’s no wonder, considering that everything I heard from these guys so far sounds divine. They nurture a cleverly constructed sound built upon the fundamentals of post-rock, but they always find some crazy ways to decorate their numbers even more. That’s the case with Elsewhere, which sounds more like their tenth than second full-length release. Like many other Noise Appeal releases, this one also comes with a high-quality cardboard sleeve decorated with a minimalistic painting of a female body and it doesn’t reveal the complexity of Doomina’s music at all. Therefore, this album may appear as a surprise for those unfamiliar with their sound. The back of a record sleeve carries a tracklist, positioned in an abstract round ornament, while the bottom carries information about the Noise Appeal Records. The standard black vinyl has a similar monochrome decoration that perfectly suits the vinyl label.

Elsewhere contains five divine numbers suitable for even the pickiest post-rock fans. As usual, Doomina explore the depths of this exceptional music genre but with a certain twist. Therefore, expect many orchestrations that vividly resemble something post-metal, shoegaze, stoner, or sludge bands would eventually write, compose, and record during their careers. Still, Doomina differs from other contemporaries mainly because their music is profoundly complex. Maybe these numbers range from pleasantly calm to overly aggressive, but you’ll notice how they paid so much attention to every detail. Each track commences with a pleasant, cathartic ambiance built upon longevous segments where every band member contributes with progressive orchestrations. However, these guys transform into a colossal beast once they decide it’s time for heavy, powerful, and aggressive music. Perhaps the dynamics and energy change, but the atmosphere remains the same. Doomina are solely into reverby and echoic instrumentations that even the generous servings of distortion can’t spoil. Each sonic maneuver is thoughtfully combined to satisfy all your cravings for post-rock music and even tickle all your senses to the point when you’ll feel the urge to explore the remainder of their discography. Of course, their compositions are entirely instrumental, but the vocals would unquestionably spoil these experienced musicians in delivering such an incredible sound. Elsewhere is highly recommendable material that stands proud among Doomina’s releases, and you can grab it as a part of the band’s bundle at the Noise Appeal web store.