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|
 |
|
------Various
Artists - Fahrenheit Project Part 6 |
| STYLE |
|
Downtempo trance with strong
atmospheres and frequent ambient expanses. The latest in the
Fahrenheit series sees the sound bound more tightly to the
measured rhythms of low bpm trance than on previous outings.
We have the usual vibrant layering of electronic colour and
scintillating arpeggios - here enhanced with misted female
voices, vocoder effects, ethnic singing, shakers, exotic ambiguous
bird/whale cries. The beats tend to develop incrementally,
build into thudding regularity or helicopter clarity and then
fragment or disperse into echoing emptiness, often to recur
with increased power for the next climax. Sundial create a
strong aquatic space on the track 'Together, we are... (Scann-Tec
rmx)' where faint female utterances ghost the air before the
beat steps up and some scintillating sequences take centre
stage. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
The
mood here is more beat-driven and regular than Oxycanta and
Albedo, yet still shot through with that trade mark Ultimae
chill. The mood is one of clean technological fluidity that
ranges on the one hand into brooding hypnotic shadow and then
into simmering heat haze, with bubbling cycles as vivid and
saturated as the luminous orange of the front cover graphic. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Ultimae
quality gloss and saturation - an orange palette ranging from
the weight of black through to the palest shade just short
of white. Underwater on the front, in the clouds on the reverse
- tangerine, gold and rust hues with a droplet/bubble mass
crossing the juncture - black horizontal borders ever-present.
Within, the same hues bathe the inner panels in the same warm
light, not bright, night lights, very very deep colour. The
track list is found on the reverse and in expanded form inside
alongside credits and recording details. A tasteful, beautiful
object - you want Ultimae CDs in your collection to look at
as much as to listen to. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Billed
as The One Before the Last... Fahrenheit Project Part 6
is said to be the penultimate release of the series. Promotional
wording explains that this album is "more upbeat than
the previous chapters, Fahrenheit Project 6 is the absolute
soundtrack for your after parties, morning celebration or
"sofatimes". Highlights on the album for me include
the combined talents of Magnus Birgersson and Vincent Villuis
in H.U.V.A. Network's 'Orientations' - an 8 minute 57 second
piece that opens up a spacious reverberating zone with a
dramatic apocalyptic tone overrun by a constant bass pulse
and gutsy digital beat. Also Hol Baumann's - Radio Bombay
at the end of the album where gentle chimes and acoustic
guitar introduce a lonely Indian voice that cycles around
against an ominous deep bass and deceptively simple beat.
Other artists presenting their audio delights for us are
Scann-Tec, Irukandji, Cell, Sync24, Solar Fields, Sundial
and Aes Dana.
|
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Ultimae
followers will know what to expect, this being another quality
release, this time steering away a little from the ambient
side of things. If you don't know Ultimae music - this is
an album that will delight chill fans that like deep, deep
musical hues and imaginative trance for that after hours,
late night feel. |
| |
|
 |
|
------Mark
Mahoney / M. Peck - Imprint |
| MUSIC |
|
Lustrous genre crossing synthesiser
music - generally without beats and rich in vibrant multiple
layers. Imprint is full of fluctuating synthetic tones and
lush textures - smooth sonic plains alive with shimmering
detail and spangles of sound, calm undulations with revolving,
morphing motifs and crystalline effects. There are electrical
environments with lurking barbs and dark currents - distorted
voices garble in the middle distance, heavy pads well up
occasionally, suggestive of the passage of enormous forms
flickering, bristling with detail. Promotional material
proclaims "From lush celestial harmonics to the undercurrent
of something altogether subterranean, our goal was to create
an album that is at once undefinable, yet accessible. That
was our intention – this our imprint". I would
say the intention is eminently realised. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
The
organic and the synthetic combine in a monochrome montage
- a large daisy overlaid with oval punches, imprinted messages
fading slowly from left to right. Similar imagery appears
also on the rear of the case and on the single sheet insert.
Within are credits, a gear list, contacts and a second track
list (the first on the back cover).All tracks are timed and
come in at a total of 50:32 - the first and last both running
at over fifteen minutes with three shorter pieces nestled
in the middle. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Mark
Mahoney and Michael Peck might be known to some listeners
for their work as part of The Amaranth Signal, Michael Peck
also producing material as redfadesbeforeblue. For this
release the duo have compiled tracks from their live performances
of 2005 resulting in a CD that is somewhere down the ambient
end of the electronic spectrum yet utilising what the band
refer to as "shape- shifting rhythm patterns and melodic
transformations". This is a release with a powerful
sound, the sonic environments are deeply absorbing and engrossing
- the professionalism of the artists being clearly evident.
You might want to try this one if you enjoy ambient music
with some muscular structure threaded through, or if you
like electronica that revels in ambiguous soundscaping. |
| |
|
 |
|
------Welder
- Vines & Stream |
| STYLE |
|
Beaty electronic downtempo instrumentals
with world and urban aspects fused throughout. Welder employs
a range of trip hop, breakbeat and chilled rhythms that, nevertheless,
tend to have quite an upbeat almost 'big' feel about them.
These beats often drop into global grooves, disperse into
light interludes or fragment and twist before rolling on once
more. Spoken voices, chimes, ethnic instrumentation and mangled
electronic effects flavour the melodic themes that are often
built around simple chord patterns, repeating with variation,
evolving and developing. A number of tracks make good use
of vocal samples - a narrative reminiscent of The Orb's 'Little
Fluffy Clouds' runs through Purple & Orange, other wavs
are strongly effected, cut-up or distanced, echoing in the
background. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
Welder
establishes a mildly psychedelic atmosphere, warm and tuneful,
where gentle repetition is effectively employed, building
tracks into peaks, catching a breath in the gentler interim
moments. The album glows with colour as Welder tends to paint
his sound with broad vivid sonic strokes - bold, bright and
uplifting. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
I
have only a promotional copy of this album showing the front
cover image. This is the deep green tinted forest fringe that
you see above. The title picked out in golden letters. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Based
in San Francisco, California - Welder has been writing and
producing music since 1999 in a variety of electronic styles.
Under the name Eskmo he has focussed on the more aggressive
sounds of breaks and drum and bass - as Welder his music is
described by his label as "downbeat world fusion and
electro funk grooves". This debut under the latter alias
is something of a melting pot with various influences interwoven
- ethnic instruments alongside grumbling basses, drum and
bass hints against strings and musing recorded speech. |
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Welder
will appeal to the chillout audience that appreciates a danceable
beat and that enjoy vivid themes over meandering ambience.
|
| |
|
 |
|
------Spiral
System - In Your Dreams |
| STYLE |
|
Refined, lightly chilled vocal
and instrumental music with a strong urban edge. Spiral System
use a warm clean sound of pianos, strings, acoustic and electric
guitars to support some truly laid back melodies. The variety
of approach reflects the diversity of modern city life - eloquent
rapper MC Precise brings the everyday reality of UK streets,
Lottie Child's masterful and soft voice - dreamy and appealing,
flute breaths, blasts and trills fill 't.o.p.' and dubby basslines,
squelches, stabs and echoes appear in other places. There
are Latin touches, multi-cultural references, city sounds
- car horns, and soulful melodies all presented with a real
band feel. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
The
mood of this album captures well the variety of musical atmospheres
present in a contemporary city such as London - taken and
filtered or perhaps tinted with the artists' own favoured
hue. The focus is on the chilled side of life, warm twilight
evenings - a different sound issuing from each sonic side
street. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Beautifully
packaged in a lush digipack - In Your Dreams features a long
exposure photo image of a night sky on the front cover. The
paths of the stars wind around in long curves of light revolving
above a black horizon - the sky itself a deep green for this
release. The spiral idea is illustrated by a series of shrinking
dots. Once the package is opened up another spiral appears
in the form of an ammonite indigo/ black against a night blue
background. Within a sharp contrast is formed by a bright
orange snail illustration - spiral shell streaked with rusts
and browns. Credits, thanks and contact details fill the other
internal panel. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Spiral
System is made up primarily of percussionist Joe Crisp and
guitarist Cliff Ovenden. The duo are both experienced players
and producers currently working from the UK Spiral Studios
in West London. In Your Dreams is a highly polished album
with a strong vision and excellent presentation. This CD comes
as the debut release from newly established Macro Records
accompanied by a series of teaser EPs on iTunes featuring
a number of remixes by Gaudi and others. |
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
This
is music that will appeal to listeners looking for something
laid back yet danceable with the evening city breeze flowing
lightly through the air. An easily accessible album that has
some truly restful grooves. |
| |
|
 |
|
------Electric
Skychurch - James Lumbs' Sonic Diary Singles |
| STYLE |
|
Electronic soundscaping using
a variety of morphing cycles and kaleidoscopic sequences.
Electric Skychurch presents here "Sonic Diary Singles"
which are the individual, unmixed tracks from the album
"Sonic Diary". The band's promotional material
explains "the tracks stand alone, and in some cases
have parts that don't appear on the continuously mixed version
of the record, or have different beginnings and endings.
The singles collection features unmixed, unaltered high
fidelity master recordings". The resultant release
in this case consists of warbling sequences, squelching
motifs and rippling arpeggios that sometimes have soft washes
alongside, sometimes comfortable breakbeats driving the
arrangements. A number of these individual tracks, when
standing alone, work almost like intricate sonic wallpapers
- evolving sequences recurring like aural tessellations,
detailed and melodious - the hypnotic repetition eventually
smoothing out the complexity of the sound into beautiful
undulating textures. There are other pieces where programmed
atmospheres take centre stage - a heartbeat thumping amid
doleful ambience, insectile techno buzz or mechanical rhythm
revolving, shifting, phasing. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
Like
a series of abstract geometric images each built around a
single hue Electric Skychurch deliver a set of ornate sound
patterns that explore limited structures and restricted layering.
Like the unravelled threads of a greater whole - these pieces
are beautiful in themselves, at times slightly melancholy,
often quite cerebral, subtle, didgeridoo-like fluctuations
mesmerising, entrancing. "Sonic Diary Singles" was
produced using three-dimensional audio techniques, in order
to get a sense of movement through distinct timeframes, space,
and emotional states. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
I
have only a promotional copy and so have only seen a small
version of the richly textured front cover image shown above.
The image has layered geometrical designs and a faded portrait
worked in among the graven surface details. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Promotional
material for this release tells us "The original mixed
album "Sonic Diary" was released five years ago,
and continues to set an example of what an electronic music
album can be. Although the album was made from personal recordings
collected over a long period of time, the final production
week of the project was interrupted by the events of Sept.
11, 2001. The entire record was arranged and mixed in the
days following. "Sonic Diary" was not about 9/11,
but it was a product of the time and culture that led up to
that day, was affected by that day, and had one foot on each
side of the divide." These 'individual, unmixed tracks'
are "for DJ's, audio purists, or anyone who appreciates
good songs". |
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Anyone
that enjoyed "Sonic Diary" will likely be fascinated
by these musical fragments and dissections. If you appreciate
sonic texturing and sequencer moods this might be one for
you. |
| |
|
 |
|
------Max
Corbacho - Nocturnal Emanations |
| STYLE |
|
Beatless and rhythmic ambient
zones full of shadow and the lush densities of night. Night
sounds, night birds, crickets, low sonic breezes - the album
opens with a strongly environmental sound. Gradually dense
tonal blankets roll in, gurgling effects and low muted impacts,
the stillness now stirred up into a slow winding eddy. The
serene twilight pools that Corbacho creates here can be silky
and smooth, lustrous surfaces reflecting dark tones - but
there are obscure depths too, things heaving below in slow,
slow swells. The third track 'The Slow and Wandering Dust'
sees a soft rolling beat gradually creep in - a corporeal
rhythm, natural, constant accompanied by waves of heavy saturated
tone like the measured breath of deep sleep. Large pots and
giant drum thumps provide the basis for another percussive
piece on 'Abandoned Wind' - slow motion low, lulling, soporific. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
This
is a rich, liquid smooth world of dark curling colour, oceanic
enormity. Tranquil and languid for the most part, yet uneasy
shades well up at times, there are desolate spots, lonely
and cold, suggestions of ambiguous lifeforms moving somewhere
below or off to one side. The organic rhythms lift some tracks
into meandering animation, quickening the stillness - but
only just. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Purple-black
scenery in a crepuscular gloom fills the front cover, the
edges of individual rocks and crags picked out with a graphic
grey outline creating a weighty solarisation effect. Vague,
monochrome geographical imagery creates backdrops for the
other panels - a tracklist on the back complete with track
times. Inside the two page booklet is an explanation of the
project and a verse from Indian poet Sri Aurobindo that was
a chance finding during the creation of the music. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Max
Corbacho's Nocturnal Emanations was released in 2003 and
appears on the website as the fourth release by this talented
ambient composer. This is seventy three minute duration
long form work developed through eight distinct tracks.
Promotional material describes the album as one of "transparent
synthwashes, developing through silent landscapes".
The sound zones established are intended to be "almost
hostile, sometimes underground, always stony, ancient".
The approach taken was one "without any type of synchronism"
so that "in this way the layers of synthesizers move
freely along the whole piece "rubbing" harmonically
some with others. A compelling composition that very effectively
leads the emotions and senses in a beguiling night glide
over quiet, abandoned terrain. |
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Nocturnal
Emanations is for lovers of sonic scenery, lovers of low light,
lovers of ambiguity. This CD will appeal to ambient fans that
enjoy an organic sound and powerful atmosphere. |
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|
