REMAINING WARMTH is a solo Blackgaze project by Andrey Novozhilov. Their debut EP, titled “Before the Years,” is presented here, and it features four songs. “Of Small Hands and Endless Fields” is first. It eases in slowly, and gently, with the sound of happy children playing in the background. Process the title…and that is exactly what you will hear…the innocence of youth. Drums come rolling in around the halfway mark, and the song thickens. There is also a smooth melody line throughout, that seems to rise above the aggression of the drums. Put simply, it’s a gorgeous song with many layers and textures.

“When the Dreams and Love End” has another marvelous melody, although the background sounds like a swarm of bees, and the melody shoots straight up into the canopy. It settles into w warm feeling that envelops you from head to toe. The ebb and flow of the music is akin to the moon’s influence on the tides…subtle, and mysterious. “Afterlight” is the crowning jewel on the album. It refers to the light visible in the sky after sunset, and may mean a view of past events, or retrospect. It’s another song where the background is thicker than morning fog, but the melody pierces the veil like a beacon in stormy waters, guiding ships home to safety. Close to the halfway mark, the background drops off, and you are left with only gentle and warm melodies.

The title track is the final cut; close to seven minutes of more warm melodies wrapped in an aggressive blanket. This song sprints, like a child with endless energy playing for hours on end is his fictitious world. We can all identity with what that was like. The last gasp is him headed home, heeding his mother’s call, and already ready for tomorrow. This was a fantastic journey seen through the eyes of Andrey Novozhilov. Your only real reminder as to the genre is the aggressive drumming and thick background. He lets the melody come out from behind the stage and take the center role, and it is very well crafted, and leaves a lasting impression.