MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Lucid electro chill-out and downtempo IDM. Outlines is a fairly minimal album melodically speaking built around punchy programmed beats, repeating evolving structures and simple morphing motifs. There are some ambient sections (moslty introductions apart from the final track 'Onflow') where ethereal sound clouds and bright turbulence underlay some interesting synthetic tonal touches or subdued sequenced phrases. The sound is clearly created using the cutting edge of musical technology so that each sonic item hangs in its own frequency space clean and clear. Although the album is primarily instrumental there are a couple of songs, a strongly effected female voice echoing over the dub stabs and blunt bass lines of 'Causation' and the lazy 'Embrace' where a low looming bass buoys up a more wistful vocal performance. The music is warm, vibrant and full of dynamic optimism - downtempo yet upbeat and with a gentle urgency.

The mood on Outlines is one of clean, technical artistry - the sonic palette is sharp and well-defined. Although a downtempo album, the music is quite lively and busy, percolating patterns and electro beats in constant flux - that said there is a minimalist structure and sparse melodic approach that smooths out the surface into restful terrain, well reflected in the stark landscapes of the cover imagery.

Some beautiful photography adorns this jewel case package. A stunted tree leans out from a rocky crag in monochrome on the front cover, smooth sky featureless and flat. Similar images of stone wood and sky appear on most panels - abundant white borders and backdrops keeping everything light and clean. The rear cover tracklist neatly lines up in white text against a pointed ridge, website details below. Inside is a three section fold out where pride of place is given over to more stunning scenery. There are thanks, credits and two more tracklistings found on different sections here.

Shen comes from the Native State label and is stylistically well placed there. Fans of Bluetech and other artists on the label roster will likely find Outlines to their liking. Shen is a strong contender for chill fans, leaning perhaps a little more toward a technical, mechanical sound than some of his fellow artists.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Dreamy electronica with inventive digital rhythms and a keen sense of beauty. Sleepy Town Manufacture creates what are mainly restful synthetic mood pieces where tinkling sequences and bright melodies are driven by glitchy programmed beats that range from almost ambient to recycled drum and bass. That said, a number of tracks have understated electro energy behind them flickering casually along as if only using a fraction of available energy. There are some guitars present in the mix courtesy of Alex Kozmidi, some doleful strings and for the first time a couple of vocal tracks are included - three female and one male. The voices fit the mood perfectly - light Russian syllables, gently delivered with an almost unreal edge at times. At their most tranquil STM are truly transcendent, beaming with that delightful aching melancholy beauty that touches the emotions directly.

Sleepy Town Manufacture has been in existence now for around eight years. Originally the joint project of Alexander Ananyev (AKA Beautumn creator of some delightful ambient music) and Anton Lukoyanychev, although I understand that Anton only takes an infrequent role nowadays. To date there have been three previous albums and something like ten virtual singles - in addition to this STM is a regular on the impressive Sutemos compilations. This album, as indeed most of STM's output, is available for free download, via Sutemos in this instance HERE. The singers that you hear are Inna Nega on Komnata, O Nei and Long Time No See (Inna providing lyrics and melody) and then Evgeniy Gagarin on the track So Soft. This is a rare thing today - an artist committed to delivering quality music without cost - here are eleven gems ... do yourself a favour get downloading.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Hazy ambient winter music with some subtle beats and evocative tonal punctuations. Beneath a sonic fog indistinct shapes drift by or loom out of the air. Melodic patterns and simple musical phrases hang in the mists whilst unobtrusive percussive rhythms thick with distortion or implied distance at times suggest remote urban machinations. There are even some vocal tracks here - a male voice introspective and low key, almost spoken delivers pensive verse on three tracks. The only overtly seasonal reference comes in the form of a sleigh bell rhythm on 12:00 AM - regular and measured sleeting against an amorphous backdrop, the rest of the suggestive elements are less obvious, very atmospheric and individual drawing on the unnoticed aspects of the time. The ambient fabric is often quite dense, the thickening effect of reverb and the atonal nature of some of the combined textures laying down a muffling blanket. Most melodic material is somewhat muted or understated - chimes, bells, guitars, synthetic strains gently breaking the grey. The various tracks here read like a narrative, a soundtrack, the lengthy 'Falling Snow' especially telling a story all of its own - varying densities and depths, musical structures floating up like phantoms then lost again in the weather.

Yule consists of nine short compositions of about three minutes each all recorded around the same time followed by one long piece entitled The Falling Snow which comes in at just over twenty minutes long. This latter track was recorded some years prior to the rest and is presented here in full - previously this was only available in a much shorter, remixed form on the Cynfeirdd "Eisteddfod" compilation. The CD is a limited edition EP of 333 hand numbered copies. Tor says of the project that the "time period following Thanksgiving through early January carries a unique and strange mood to it other than the obvious stress of Holiday madness. With a handful of recordings, I have attempted to capture another side of the Holiday season. The settings range from slushy, illuminated train stations, to the lonely trees of January still entangled with blue lights long after the season has ended.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

A light and colourful selection of psy-chill and dub with a soothing synergy of accompanying acoustic instrumentation including piano, guitar, and strings in addition to the occasional use of vocal samples. Steady grooves maintain an introspective depth, postively enhanced by etheric textures and lush, organic accents.The intermingling of prominent rhythms and smooth, minimal melodies throughout creates an intricately contoured environ for both body and mind.There's nothing too dark here to disturb a deliciously relaxed and cozy journey into world class downtempo.

A macro look into the petals and stamen of a vibrant white flower with bold red and golden patterning. This is a snap shot of the summer's peak with a hint of blue sky and seasonal rich green peering through between the petals.The title sits elegantly scrawled center-right.

Light Aromas is courtesy of the psy-styled downbeat label Chillcode Music. Laidback, programmed beats and basslines roll beneath drifting, iridescent atmospherics, transporting you into a nostalgic realm of warm memories and serotonin-infused imaginings.With refreshing new and previously unreleased tracks from Enterprise, Kuba, Ten Madison, Vibrasphere, Jong, Aural Float and Saafi Brothers, this well-crafted compilation is a lucid and welcome excursion away from winter's grip.Perfect for late night listening sessions or a quiet afternoon alone.

Thanks to Naasko @ Interchill for that review.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Human is a subtle, serene and captivatingly heady album, one of misted expanse and uncertain depth. The sound often has doleful classical elegance about it - ambient drones wafting in ethereal strands that evoke the same low blue light as the cover art, vocal deliveries that range from lonely angelic weightlessness through to emotive human expression that seems at times to be drawn up from the depths of the soul. The words are poetic and deeply personal, the music sorrowful, beautiful, transporting.

Human will appeal to fans of electronic female vocal music with a leaning toward the darker tones. If you enjoy Lisa Gerrard, Delerium's moodier material or the kind of soundtrack music that establishes wistful, dreamy atmosphere then this could well be one for you. Falling You have pretty much captured the Morpheus acronym: Music of relaxation - passionate, heavenly, earthly, unearthly, synthetic.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

The latest DVD release of the 2006 A Posteriori contains all of the album tracks plus a number of remixes. See HERE for our review of the musical content. Visually the kaleidoscopic effect is calming and keeps the mind focussed on the music - the abstract nature of the imagery allowing it to fall into the background quite easily. Not so much a DVD to sit down and watch - more something to listen to with accompanying incidental eye candy. There are only slight deviations in musical content from the audio CD, most significantly Message From IO where some alteration of the original is readily apparent.