Feelings For Something Lost is the second album from the Swedish duo Library Tapes. Like a lot of other groups, they create ambient music for imaginary soundtracks. With sort of a lo-fidelity classical (mainly piano driven) tinge, they have things in common with everyone from Rachel's to Deaf Center and even Set Fire To Flames. Tracks sound like they're recorded in different rooms of decaying houses, from second-floor bedrooms with the roofs blown and rain coming in away to dark, wet cellars where something might be lurking around the corner.
With long track titles, the group seems set on at least somewhat leading the listener, and "But Now Things Were Different, With Birds Unable To Speak" opens the release with a field recording of birds before some mechanical sounds swallow everything up before some sparse piano melodies creep out the other end. The piano-driven pieces continue on "Feelings For Something Lost In Two Parts (Pt. 1)" and this time quiet and sparse playing is mixed in with crackling radio static and bits of garbled speech.
Colleen (aka Cecile Schott) joins the duo on "Leaves Abstract In A Village Plunged Into Mourning" and it makes for what is easily one of the most outstanding tracks on the release. This time out, what sounds like looping phrases of piano overlap in delightful ways while all kinds of subtle melodic layers (woodwind, strings) seem to stretch time as the piece travels through the ether. Melodically, the second half of the aforementioned "Feelings For Something Lost" is another standout, with melancholic notes again fighting their way through increased static.
Sadly, the group doesn't break from their formula of sparse piano and scratchy recording noise too often. On "Departures (Burning Saints For Your Own Sins)," they bring some stuttering loops, improvised hand percussion, and guitar feedback into the mix, but the aimless piece just doesn't really add much to the release and at four minutes feels much longer than it actually is. With a total running length of just under thirty minutes, the second album from Library Tapes fortunately doesn't wear on too long. It could have been even better with a little more variety to mix things up, but if you're looking for something to soundtrack a rainy day, you probably won't do much better.
