Masterminded by Amenra’s Mathieu Vandekerckhov, ‘Forever and a Day’ is the second release from Belgian one man project Syndrome. Consisting of two tracks, totalling at just over 35 minutes, ‘Forever and a Day’ is a meditative experience that focuses more on crafting soul searching soundscapes than the heavy formations that Mathieu is best known for.

‘I Am Here’ and ‘You Are Safe’ are the two songs that this EP encompasses – they meander through dreamy, ethereal atmospheres, keeping a slow and steady pace. It almost feels like the build-up in a shoegaze song – like the tinkly parts before the riffs in an Alcest or Lantlos piece. And that’s where this release is lacking, it stays on that same path throughout, without ever shifting – not that it needs to be heavy to sound good – the lack of changes in pace in dynamic and pace make it feel like a long, laborious lull.

While Syndrome’s music is certainly pretty and softly emotive, it makes for acquired listening. It’s obviously intensely personal to Mathieu, but you can’t help wondering if this is the sort of improvisational jam that is really meant for public consumption. This is “nice” but nothing that really commands immediate attention.

(6/10 Angela Davey)

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