Tamino Makes His Ascent on Every Dawn’s a Mountain written by Emma Renee Hall

Album: Every Dawn’s A Mountain 

Artist: Tamino

Genre: #Indie #Alternative 

Sub-Genres: #Rock #Folk #ArabicClassical 

Label: Communion Records 

Non-Airable Tracks: None

This last Friday, Tamino’s much anticipated third album, Every Dawn’s a Mountain, was released. As an avid Tamino fan, I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival for quite some time now. His first two albums, Amir and Sahar, were lyrically and musically beautiful, and they opened my eyes to whole new sounds, styles, and instruments. He is able to craft music that is so unique, which always seems to win me over. Five months and four singles later, we have what, in my opinion, may be Tamino’s best album. 

Every Dawn’s a Mountain is by far the most harmonious of his albums. Even if the songs are very different from one another and even from his usual style as a whole, they are all able to be tied together. The songs flow easily into one another and each continues these overarching themes of loss, renewal, and letting go. While writing this album, Tamino moved from his home country of Belgium to Manhattan, and the album obviously reflects this change. The songs are melancholy and vulnerable, yet many have an underlying layer of hope in their lyrics. 

All four initial singles released for this album were very quiet and poetic in their style, and that is, shockingly, carried throughout the album, but approached in different ways. Tamino’s other two albums tended to follow a certain formula, of sorts: a mix of simple, acoustic tracks and then these layered, anthemic ones, and I was so sure that this album would be similar. However, with Every Dawn’s a Mountain, Tamino shifts away from his typical formula, keeping almost the entire album soft, serene, and lyrically driven. However, he also incorporates new voices and a change in the foundation of the songs. On the title track, Every Dawn’s a Mountain, he opens with an angelic, layered choir of voices, which sets the tone for an absolutely gorgeous song about the loss of someone (or someplace) special and the peace and growth that can be found in something new. This choir of higher, lighter voices somehow fits together so well with Tamino’s much lower voice, and the two seem to weave in and out of each other throughout the song. While I haven’t yet determined which track from the album is my favorite, this one, quiet and ethereal with its beautiful and poetic lyrics, is a definite contender. 

Tamino also incorporates a new tone in the basis of these songs. While much of his earlier work is defined by acoustic guitar and oud, sometimes incorporating electric guitar or a string quartet, this newer album offers a certain groove in its foundation. On a few of the tracks, such as “Raven” and “Elegy,” for example, there is a distinctive shift in the style of percussion. It sounds almost electronic, yet still manages to bring that same mystical feeling that the rest of his music carries. It is also interesting to me that there is such a significant difference in musical style between the songs on the album, especially since the songs were written and recorded in multiple different places during his transition from Belgium to Manhattan. It is almost as if the songs themselves represent this shift. 

The one thing that I fear is missing from this album is the significant and obvious influence of Arabic classical music that is so constantly found in his other work. As mentioned previously, many of the songs on Tamino’s other albums had this symphonic, extravagant sound, and it is within these types of songs that much of this influence is seen. For some long-time fans, the lack of these types of tracks may be a little disappointing, given that it is such a beloved and unique sound that he brings. However, many of the songs still incorporated these beloved elements of Arabic classical music in subtle and meaningful ways. In almost every single song, the primary instrument used is the oud, which is a staple of Tamino’s music and what he describes as a “major sonic pillar for the album.” 

Now, at the start, I made the bold claim that I believed this was his best work. It is important to note that I am more than a little biased, given how much the meaning of the album and its lyrics resonated with me personally at the moment. However, whether this claim is “true” or not, that does not stop this from being an incredible record. One can tell that Tamino’s voice has matured over time, bringing a richer sound vocally from his earlier music. He’s exploring new sounds and techniques while still founded in what makes him unique as an artist. He continues to yet again bring his incredible talent, especially on “Raven,” showing off all three octaves of his vocal range. His collaboration with Mitski, although more geared towards her style as an artist, is absolutely gorgeous and effortlessly poetic. It is, without a doubt, a magnificent album and work of art. 

Tamino begins his North American tour this Thursday, March 27, in San Diego, CA. 

Sounds Like: 

• Jeff Buckley

• Morpheus 

• Mitski

• Sufjan Stevens

Recommended Tracks: 

Every Dawn’s A Mountain, Willow, Raven, Babylon 

Reviewer’s Name: Emma Hall