This has got to be one of my favorite albums ever. The music is so magical in my ears and the only other artists I can possibly compare to Helios is Boards of Canada and maybe even Biosphere. Most of the tracks have delicate strings and piano and while the music probably falls under the label IDM, its much more then that once you start listening. There are some field recordings of nature and voice samples from cinema thrown in and the whole album just creates a perfect atomosphere which the album artwork conveys. Some argue that the 2006 Helios ablum topped this one, but to me Unomia will always be number 1. Its also worth noting that his work under Goldmund is almost as equally pefect as his Helios music.

Helios is starting to make a name for himself with downtempo, IDM and ambient lovers and I think the reason is because his style is so much different from everyone else out there... Soft, touching and often given a classical touch, yes this is an artist that isn't afraid to experiment. Luckily for us listeners, the result is very refreshing and moving. Both of Helios' 1st and 2nd albums are worth checking out, as well as his side project which is even more classical driven. Impossible to pick favorites here because this whole album is a living-ambient production that must be listened to in a whole.

One of my favourite records of all time... not given enough credit, so many more people in my opinion should hear this.

This is gorgeous moody electronica, sparse, minimal feel but very heavy and emotional. This is music you could fall asleep to, but wouldn't want to because you can't stand missing a second of it. The piano pieces (especially "West Orange") are really something, this guy has major talent, and with tracks like Velius and Clementine, you can see his talent at bringing feeling across even in the slow, meandering beat patterns.

5/5 must have if you are into IDM, Ambient or the likes... masterpiece

"clementine" is surely a classic for the genre, one solid progression, barely repeats itself structurally, very pretty

"two up at seven" is another great melodic helios soundscape, quite sure that track's been used as a counter-hangover wakeup alarm before.. some leisurely-punctuated deep bass hits put you on notice, then it pleasantly sucks you out of your dreams with a gorgeously simplistic melody over a rolling bassline

definite talent, hope to hear more soon

One of the best records ever released on Merck, "Unomia" is a masterpiece of dark atmosphere, subtle beats, and experiments in multilayered ambience that only reveals more and more with each listen. While a small number of songs fall into the mid-tempo/Boards of Canada-esque beats + ambience style, this is no genre-bound album. Most of the songs take a while to evolve beyond their initial sounds, but the payoff is definitely worth it. "Unomia" opens with filtered, gorgeous chords and slow, yet precise beats, and evolves into something even more than the sum of it's parts. Other parts of the album increase the darker side of things, bringing a definite Harold Budd influence but also something slightly more sinister. There's strong emotional content here, ranging from nostalgia, to lonliness, to outright terror. Definitely worth tracking down and picking up a copy of this release.