Niagara Falls - Sequence Of Prophets (Honeymoon Music, 2009)

Niagara Falls - Sequence Of Prophets Part 1


Philly's Niagara Falls have gone through some line-up changes and their third record, Sequence Of Prophets, finds the trio of Sam, Noah, and Norman supposedly departing from the band's previous sound. But if, like me, this is your introduction to these guys, then that doesn't mean too much. All you got is a name to go on, Niagara Falls. Well, their name is kind of descriptive, but not in the white noise waterfall kind of way. More in the "we're one with the Earth" kind of way.

Sequence Of Prophets opens with "Flatlands," a track that sounds like they just put a microphone in the rainforest, teeming with insects, wind, and flutes. Flutes aren't normally found in the rainforest, I know, but just imagine this is a special rainforest, OK? The kind where it's normal to hear twirly electronics and tribal drumming. But once that track is over, the overt nature sounds are given up for more abstract and subtle ones.

For the most part, Prophets is a dark synthy affair not unlike Popul Vuh. I keep imagining some awesome movie, like if David Lynch directed Ferngully. This isn't so much the soundtrack to that movie but more like the music that inspired Lynch to make it. It has an organic sound that is brings forth feelings of the supernatural and sinister. There are a couple of exceptions, however, such as "Goloka" and the second half of part one of the title track, which is super uplifting. The epic crescendos and cymbals crashes make it more like something you'd hear during one of Animal Collective's happier, more post-rocky moments.

Fuck. I was trying really hard to not mention that band that I don't even care about. The one that gets name dropped everywhere and people the world over cream themselves over when there's the slightest mention of a new song. Niagara Falls are not an Animal Collective rip-off. Maybe they occasionally share similar musical elements but shit that happens all the time. So do yourself a favor and forget I mentioned AC and head over to Honeymoon Music to drop 12 bucks on this sweet ass vinyl. It's completely fucking worth it.