Album Review: In the Blink Of An Eye // Good Weather For An Airstrike

Good Weather For An Airstrike is the solo ambient musical project of Tom Honey, formed in 2009. He has been making ambient music but takes influence from a variety of genres and, over the years, has expanded on these beautiful soundscapes. So far, his magnum opus has been his recent album Kenopsia, an album which reflected the lockdown after the pandemic. This album featured the beautiful “Still” featuring Jamie Brett’s wonderful vocals. As a fan of Good Weather For An Airstrike for a few years, I have been impressed by the growth both in the live setting and in recent recordings. I am very excited about the release of his new album, “In the Blink Of An Eye”.

I must say, it is pretty surreal getting a first taste of this record, as I am drawn into the ambient C chord of the opener, “Indian Summer.” It is unbelievably dreamy and inspiring. You feel like you’re in a massage parlour as this chord drones on. My goodness, it is wonderful. As an ambient producer myself, the soft guitars is something that resonates with me. They blend into the song very nicely. That is a saxophone and soft drums. Amazing. And then back to the ambient soundscape. Great start.

Jamie Brett’s vocals are very tender on “All Is Lost”, and they combine nicely with the ambience of the track. It puts me in a trance. It is nicely mixed, especially with the soft velocity of the piano. What follows is “We’ll Make It To Oslo”, which feels like you are on a plane to Oslo. Not that I have ever made this journey before. It gives the listener hope that the pilgrimage to Oslo, But the song captures the atmosphere nicely with its droning background noise. You feel like you want to drift away when listening to it or focus intently on something. There is a sound at around the 3:40 mark that sounds like a violin, which is creative. Ambient music has the power to make you feel like you can do anything. Personally, I like making it because it makes me feel calm, and I can drift off into my own thoughts. And I must say, when I am used to reviewing metal records, this gives me a completely different perspective. In fact, I have never felt calmer in my life.

The vocals on “I Wouldnt Have It Any Other Way” featuring Jamie Brett alongside the crisp drums and harmonies sound perfect alongside the guitars. This world extremely well because it gives a sense of stillness. A gentle atmosphere akin to sitting by a river or a big open space. This continues on “Safety In Numbers” with an ascending long drone. The Ebow on the guitar gives an interesting creative dynamic to the song. I have never heard an Ebow on a guitar so it is refreshing. The fact that it is mixed low works wonders, I can’t get over how great it sounds.

The final track is called “Susami” which is a town in Japan. The song is one of the most relaxing on the album. It combines an ambient piano intertwined with a drone. Soft, sweet, and tender. It encapsulated the relaxing soundscape on the album. It is a perfect end.

“In the Blink Of An Eye” showcases the versatility and talent on show. This is his best work, and it is a great listen if you want to focus on a task or even relax with a book. A perfect listen.

Feature image credit: Oti Lungu 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0pPKleHNpwAlKTOr7am5be?si=kUIVYi5EQfK1XG770qQZOw

Words by Ermis Madikopoulos