3.5

Release data:

Altus – City of Ashes
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Music, 2009

On the audio/visual concept project “City of Ashes”, Canadian musician Mike Carss pairs his orchestral-oriented and minimal/fluid ambient work with the extraordinary photography of Shawn Sintzel.

Well, listening and experiencing the mysterious, highly atmospheric outcome is like stepping through a mirror and landing in an alternate world among us.
Its lush textural outcome is a velvet tapestry of expansiveness, a celebration of beauty in its own form. Of all tracks, especially “Prisoner of Sanctuary” stands out as a real beauty.

The release is indeed by far the most cinematic music Mike has released to date: the images and expertly rendered music beautifully interact as a film-like soundtrack to Sintzel’s gloomy and austere photography.
Recommended.

The 53-minute album is available as free high-quality download from Mike’s site.

Website: www.altusmusic.ca

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Altus artist page