Dusk Ensemble's self titled album, the first release from the ultra minimal alter-ego of  "The Sky Is Blue" frontman Jon Rees in nearly 2 years,  has looked to follow one core ethos. Diversity is the theme for this offering, garnished with an intelligent dose of emotion, and it attempts to deliver both courses with aplomb. 

Kicked off by "Nineteenth", a down tempo saunter through a landscape accentuated by a stuttering beat and draped in majestic melodies, Dusk Ensemble lay down the requirement for some concerted effort when it comes to taking in this album, but also just as equally offer the opportunity for some easy listening. The successive track "Twentieth" follows this mould, but with a more melancholic approach. Wood block snares and a healthy dose of reverb combine with a concise string section, and to be fair, by the end of the track you come out of it feeling a lot more positive than when you first went in.

"Twenty First" (can you see the theme developing here?) is a slightly more gritty affair, with filtered and distorted kicks both joining in creating a much darker beat than the previous tracks possessed. There are some haunting pads, again, but unfortunately, just as soon as the track has got going, it seems to end. 

Nevermind. But any disappointment is quickly forgotten as "Twenty Second" leaps into the fray with a lovely Rhodes line. In this writerís humble (and exhaustive) opinion, this is one of the better tracks on this record. Experimental hip hop crossed with euphoric trance, it floats nicely along, and conjures up images of exotic locations, vast mountain ranges, and Centre Parks.

"Twenty Fourth" not only provides us with an anomaly in the sequential naming of the tracks, but also a moment to sit and ponder all that we have learned before this. A tune made up sans le beat, it is mainly a demonstration of what happens when you lump a few airy noises together with (effectively) one chord. The result is: not a lot. Thankfully "Twenty Fifth" doesnít follow suit, and it manages to bound around with a semblance of joy, although given its six other companions on this LP, I can forgive the undertones of angst that seem to be lurking beneath the depths.
And for the finale, "Twenty Sixth" again provides us with some "downtime" to reflect on the voyage we have just been on, although you would have to be pretty laid back to require some relaxation after this album.
"Dusk Ensemble"is a well thought out, vivid release, with elements ranging from electro and minimal all the way through to classical. it is a very considered collection of tracks - But I get the feeling itís more like an electronic Morrisey record rather than a homage to, say, Depeche Mode,  If you like lucid, atmospheric soundscapes this is for you..