Not Waving & Dark Mark – Downwelling – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Not Waving is the name for the electronic music of Alessio Natalizia, and Dark Mark is none other than serial collaborator Mark Lanegan.  This collaboration is as far removed as Lanegan has got yet from his Screaming Trees days.

The album largely consists of Mark Lanegan crooning over esoteric electronica.  The two styles don’t always gel, Signifying the End and City of Sin sound like Lanegan’s vocals belong to different songs.  It doesn’t sound bad, just… strange.

Instrumentals On The Yard and The Last Time Leaving Home act as pleasant mood-setters.  The most “out-there” track is banging dance tune Burned Out Babylon, though its title will please Screaming Trees nerds.  Elsewhere?  Later into the album Persimmon Tree is decent, and final track The Broken Man is probably the highlight.  The latter largely consists of Lanegan’s black-as-night vocals over spooky keyboards.  Not massively different to the rest of the album, it just works a little better here.

Definitely not the best album to discover the wonderful voice of Mark Lanegan.  However, those who enjoyed his work with Soulsavers may find a way in here.

Track List –

1. Signifying The End
2. City of Sin
3. On The Yard
4. Burned Out Babylon
5. The Last Time Leaving Home
6. Persimmon Tree
7. Lights of Canopus
8. Murder In Fugue
9. The Broken Man

The Broken Man