Freedom Voyagers is a post-rock band which was founded in the autumn of 2009, in Russia, Irkutsk city in Siberia. The members of the band were rehearsing when they were able to, in the small lodge of one industrial complex. The name of the band is taken from the book of Kenzaburo Oe “The Waters Are Come in unto My Soul”. The members of the band do not identify themselves with heroes of this book, (who call themselves Freedom Voyagers), but they consider that this title is more convenient for describing what they create. The band members are Nikita, Ilya and Valentin.

Let’s hear their own words about their EP; “Freedom Voyagers say hello to such Russian post-rock bands as Mooncake and Belye Flagi Zazhigaite Medlenno and hope that true Russian love will never die despite the trials and tribulation taking place at home. Besides the persistent drum and bass rhythms and long massive guitar passages, the listener can hear the loneliness, anxiety, calmness, and bliss that thread throughout our life.”

REVIEWS

YTSEJAM / Tommy Hash

When it comes to instrumental music, you have to realize without the lyrics, there is a void to fill - yet without them, the listener gets entraped (willfully so) in the melodies with out any diversion where the compositional approach becomes the fodder for the aural senses. Coming out of Siberia is Freedom Voyagers, who with this EP, captures the organic sense of a jam session, building upon the original song structure where the music expands and evolves.

With Freedom Voyagers, these jam sessions put you in the room with the band, you sense the energy as each tune builds upon their darkened vibe bringing the Black Sabbath atmosphere to more jangly oriented, arpeggio laden guitars rather than an all-out crunch-fest - however there are moments of layered guitars, delay, reverb that keeps the haunting mood heightened, but they don't overdo it. The EP is consistent through the five tracks, though never redundant as the diminished chords of "Memorial Day" and aggressive shoegaze of "Break in the Clouds" show the EP's finest moments. Freedom Voyagers warps up elements of the intricate dream pop of North Atlantic Oscillation, the free flowing nu-gaze of Engineers and the experimental tendencies of Double Handsome Dragons, Long Distance Calling, and Mogwai - and with this short ride into the post-rock spectrum, one can only anticipate more from this band.

ROCK SHOCK / Emiliano D'Alonzo

The EP is entirely instrumental and made up of five pieces. The first track Memorial Day is convincing as well as Meditative Street Spiral and the fascinating sonorous background of Pusto, the most shoegaze tune of the record.

CALEIDOSCOOP / Jan Willem Broek

Only a short while ago the American quality label released the electronic post-rock act Diamond Gloss from Portugal. Now again there is a post-rock band that is allowed to release an album. This time it is the Russian trio Freedom Voyagers with their self titled EP. The band was founded in 2009 in the Russian city of Irkutsk by Nikita, Ilya and Valentin. The name is borrowed from the heroes in the book “The Waters Are Come Unto My Soul” by 1994 Nobel prize winner for literature Kenzaburō Ōe from Japan. Not because the three gentlemen identify with these heroes, but the name symbolizes what they want to create and express with their music. They start their EP with rock solid post-rock based on loud guitars. That is nice, but has been done before. What makes their music special, and what really sets them apart, is the communication of raw emotion, the power to express things in music, and the many cinematic parts. Superficially one could say that one hears Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky or Codes In The Clouds, but there is much more to enjoy. There is also the calm and cinematic quality of Mono, the more complex rock of June Of 44 and Don Caballero, and the robustness of Gone Bald. In the background the basses of The Cure seem to play along. In everything one hears melancholia, loneliness, and longing shining through. And that moves me even more than the imposing walls of guitar and firm drum rolls. This is only a 20 minute album, bot already an impressive direct hit. I’m very curious about their first full album. Fantastic debut.