The first release by Drifter takes the listener into an intriguing world of shoegaze, melodic death metal, and post-metal. "Seas Between" is hypnotizing in its effects. Taking cues from the sounds of Insomnium, Alcest, Harakiri for the Sky, Heretoir, and Aetherian is supposed to have allowed our mysterious solo artist to travel on a musical road as well as exploring places where intellect dwells close by deep passions.
The layering of sounds is one standout characteristic that this album has. Drifter carefully intertwines rich, mousty textures-suggestive of Alcest-with spectral melody underlying the earth-shaking tyranny of Insomnium. The outcome is a sonic cloth in which listeners can dreamily sink into a world of shoegaze-meets-melting, hauntingly metallic melodies.
The first track, "Life Overdue," establishes the mood for the album. Listeners are ushered in to hear a dreamlike soundscape that progresses from peaceful ambience to wilder sounds as it crescendos. The guitar lines, shimmering like tinsel strips, weave their way in play with changes between each chord of the progression - hypnotic and jolly. This is a cool contrast that belies, even to some degree, what really explains this artist's musical palette over half now gone into adulthood.
Drifter's sensitivity to dynamics is evident throughout “Seas Between.” Calm, deep introspection alternates with seemingly thunderous crescendos. These reflect the emotional peaks and valleys on Piet Frankefort's personal journey as an artist. Transitions are natural, being a testament to the attention paid to each step throughout production.
Tracks like "A Ghost's Embrace", delicately arranged yet tense and urgent as a sonic centerpiece called "Seas Between." Herein, the post-metal influence is very much in evidence. Big instrumental passages create a feeling of vastness and, at greater depths, an introspective nature. Clean guitar passages mix with feedback-laden distortion. The different volumes, sounds, and tones make for a good listenable rhythmic ebb and flow.
"Crucible" illustrates that Drifter's guitar work is one of the album highlights. His complex melodies stick with your ear long after songs have ended. Guitars like these, slender as a reed but with richly layered textures, are more or less the sound of all missed connections.
The album's production is equally raw and clean. Each instrument gets a chance to shine while maintaining the somewhat ethereal quality so important in shoegaze. The clarity of the production adds to the emotional effect.
Drifter's seamless blending of genres and the engaging atmosphere he creates promise a bright future for this solo project.