“Ego and Archetype” is a debut full-length album by Aphéa, a superb Swiss/Greek trio based in Geneva. It consists of six incredible compositions that appeal to anyone craving expertly assembled and flawlessly performed music. Although this is a debut material, Aphéa demonstrates tremendous experience, knowledge, creativity, skills, and talent, showcasing the sheer brilliance of three incredible musicians with a clear intention to deliver some of the finest compositions to the broader auditorium. Lyrically and thematically, “Ego and Archetype” explores Carl Jung’s theory of individuation and spirituality, covering relatable philosophical stances that will resonate with the broader auditorium. Soundwise, Aphéa constructs rich and luxurious sonic imagery by incorporating the fundamentals of post-rock music. However, you’ll notice an entire palette built upon many different but complementary music genres that enhance, uplift, and decorate particular segments or even the entire songs while the band remains loyal to the primary sonic direction. There are some of the finest properties of psychedelic rock, art rock, experimental rock, drone, and cinematic ambient lurking around in the mix, making this material even more entertaining and enjoyable. Therefore, these experimentations with many different but complementary styles resulted in a marvelous post-rock album that will not only appeal to longtime fans of the genre but to anyone who appreciates wisely written, composed, and performed music.
Right with the initial notes and beats, you’ll notice that Aphéa poured heart and soul into this material. “Langeri,” the introductory piece on this album, vividly showcases their dedication to the craft, as this composition showcases their catchy, engaging, memorable musicianship at full display. The song commences with reverby, echoic, ethereal soundscapes that initiate a calm, soothing, relaxing, nearly cathartic ambiance, introducing the listener to their expansive sonic universe. The guitars gradually introduce profoundly melodic arpeggiated chord progressions, heavily drenched in generous servings of reverb effect. You’ll also hear how the equally beautiful low-ends support all these guitar layers by contributing more heaviness and power to an already luxuriant number. The experienced drummer keeps the entire song well-organized while dictating the groove and tempo with tastefully assembled, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated, half-time beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics. Each instrument has its place and purpose in this sonic equation, and the entire band displays tremendous precision and power. “Anasa” continues with the same vibe and pace. It’s one of those tracks where guitar layers shine in the limelight by shaping a perfect backdrop that keeps listeners fully engaged. The interplay between multiple guitar layers delivers a collision between marvelous chord progressions and riffs on one side and memorable themes, melodies, harmonies, and other sonic delicacies on the other. In the meantime, the rhythm section serves as a backbone, holding everything together precisely.
Besides their vividly hearable post-rock core, Aphéa pays attention to the other elements that define their music. “The Self” is such a perfect example of how fundamentals of drone, cinematic ambient, and experimental music collide with stripped-down post-rock elements. It’s a complex composition where these experienced musicians emphasize multilayered soundscapes, dominant themes, ethereal melodies, and mesmerizing harmonies, while the beats give a sense of tempo but in a more theatric manner. Still, the band transcends into heavy, powerful, gritty post-rock instrumentations, providing more aggression, groove, and dynamics that all fans of this excellent music genre admire and adore. It exemplifies their dedication to constructing fine pieces of artistry where only the finest elements collide harmoniously without spoiling their initial sonic direction. “Shade Of Nyad” is another standout track from this tremendous piece of work. Aphéa descends slowly into the sole depths of orchestral, otherwordly, majestic guitar ambiances, which at one point transform into beautiful themes. There are also other guitar layers, subtly lurking around in the background while the profoundly groovy basslines and heavy beats slowly lead the listener on his fascinating sonic voyage. The band suddenly creates a short break until diving into a colossal soundscape delivered by all three magnificent musicians. These cleverly assembled orchestrations become even more complex with each guitar layer, low-end, and continuous splash over the cymbal delivered until Aphéa devices it’s time for a crescendo. It’s such a beautiful piece that will immediately convince you to repeat this material over again.
The “Ego And Archetype” and “Onar” are closing this epic sonic journey with another barrage of mesmerizing themes, melodies, harmonies, chord progressions, riffs, and other sonic maneuvers. The continuous levitation between cinematic soundscapes, abrasive drones, and heavy orchestrations provide emotional depth and dynamics to both songs, showcasing Aphéa’s ability to breathe fresh air into longevous music style such as post-rock without straying too much from the fundamental elements. Through these two numbers, the band demonstrates everything you ever needed from instrumental post-rock sound, expertly assembled rhythmic sequences, intricate low-ends, lush guitar works, and otherwordly soundscapes. It’s a comprehensive amalgam of divine instrumentations, constructed with such care and attention to detail. Without any doubt, “Ego And Archetype” is the best post-rock album you’ll stumble upon this year, thanks to boundless creativity and musicianship delivered by three outstanding musicians. Their ability to break all the rules and shapeshift the boundaries of post-rock cliches goes beyond comprehension so many times throughout this material. From initial notes and beats to the closing soundscapes, “Ego And Archetype” is an experience worth revisiting every time you crave brilliant post-rock music. The album is available on all streaming platforms. Don’t miss it!
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