Derwent River Star have been kicking around the traps in various indie rock circles in Sydney for several years now, peeping their heads through the cracks every so often with various side projects. Following suit from other Australian groups that move frequently in and out of activity, The Winter Dark is yet another of these continually delayed, lovingly moulded debut albums that have taken years to write, record, and eventually put out. It seems, even eschewing any of the numerous reasonable explanations for the long wait, the late arrival of The Winter Dark is easily excusable, providing a musical experience that rejects transience in its glacial majesty.

It comes as no surprise that Kiama’s analogue, location specific producer extraordinaire Tony Dupe, best known for his solo project Saddleback and a plethora of production credits for most of the more analogue-inclined Australian indie rock bands, is responsible for shaping the production of The Winter Dark and its release on his own Heavy Recordings imprint. As usual, his genius in arrangement and a fiercely unified sound design has captured the introspective slowdance of Derwent River Star’s song construction with faithfulness and a loving sense of space.

Yet it is Derwent River Star’s delightful grasp on dynamics and expansion of ensemble arrangement that make "The Winter Dark" a unique and remarkable listening experience. Even after a number of listens, the album continues to demonstrate an ability to put across a beautiful timelessness where minutes and seconds are made trivial next to the actual song structures, the contours of melodic intensity, and musical progressions. Ensemble balance and sensitivity of performance is key to the success of this. A kind of instrumental socialism defines the sound of Derwent River Star, where dominance is not exercised by any element, to a point at which the group becomes one, seamless, breathing mass. Each element is put forth with a personal sensitivity that is generally absent from rock music in general; a conventional drums, bass, and guitar format is converted into a unified rhythm section, coloured by cello, dulcimer, melodica, glockenspiel, and musical saw. These elements phrase and progress as one teeming body underneath melodic female vocal lines, themselves executed with an elegant sincerity.

The album evolves listlessly through light and shade, occupying a musical space that may be likened to Dirty Three or Because of Ghosts, particularly in their rare vocal outings. Yet, all of the way through, Derwent River Star maintains a unique identity, even alongside the relative accessibility of their sound and approaches to songwriting. This balance exemplifies the maturity of Derwent River Star’s approach, and perhaps gives even more reason for the length of time the band took to construct The Winter Dark. Derwent River Star continues in a line of several Sydney bands such as The Woods Themselves, Tinderbox, and Founder that pursue a more sensitive, analogue-based aesthetic than their noisier counterparts. "The Winter Dark" exemplifies a success of this approach, where every moment is punctuated by a greater sense of space, greater instrumental touch and a mature sensibility. Derwent River Star are effortless purveyors of beauty.

-Marcus Whale

(courtesy of www.thesilentballet.com)