I don’t know much about Helios except for this fact: I really like a record he made in 2006 called Eingya. It’s the kind of album that brings to mind all kinds of adjectives like “grandiose” or “majestic” or “gorgeous” – words that sound ridiculosuly saccharine when written down, but seem immediately justified as soon as the album’s first notes creep in to the picture.

It’s like a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist – ambient, spacious, textured, yet personal and organic. Think of it as being what could happen if Brian Eno went mountain climbing with a post-rock band while listening to Boards of Canada and made an album about their experience. Usually the pieces are led by a simple motif handled by guitars or pianos, set against sparse percussion and tastefully orchestrated ambience.

Really there’s not much more to be said than that – I highly recommend the album. It’s best enjoyed turned up loud, preferably on a cold winter’s night in front of an open fire with a glass of red.

Helios is just about to release a new album called Caesura which is what I’d originally planned to write about, but after getting my hands on a promo copy I was left feeling somewhat disappointed. The record sounds like a somewhat paint-by-numbers affair compared to this which sounds so personal and engaging, as if the soul has got lost somewhere along the way.

That being said, go listen to Eingya! It can be purchased on eMusic or bought directly from Type Records.

Listen

• Bless This Morning Year (mp3)
• Paper Tiger (mp3)