|
 |
|
----------Kaya
Project - Desert Phase |
| STYLE |
|
Worldbeat
downtempo with a Middle Eastern focus. The immediate impression
from the opening clatter of the desert drums and Arabic
female vocals supported by vivid string swipes and pumping
bass is one of lush colour and global brilliance. As is
the trademark of Kaya Project, musical influences from unrelated
genres and locations are woven into the primary mix: along
with the sounds of such exotic regions as Rajasthan and
Morocco are harmonica, slide guitar, jazzy double bass and
some very European sounding wordless female vocalisings;
contemporary chillout grooves and dance music forms juxtapose
timeless flute and hand drumming; subtle electronic atmospheres
work in tandem with sandscape winds and evocative field
recordings. Desert Phase is all you hope for from Kaya Project
- a powerful musical vision full of authentic recordings
and genuine insight; enjoyable tunes, well structured and
absorbing; a transporting experience that will brighten
the dullest Western day. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
I
have only a digital promo copy of this album and so haven't
seen the actual art work. However, a look at the Kaya
Project and Interchill
websites show that this is a digipack release with plenty
to look at and Interchill has an impeccable reputation when
it comes to packaging. The band's blog at the first of those
two sites has a video presentation that shows most of the
panels of the digipack in close up - so you can see for yourself
what you're getting whilst listening to a montage from the
album. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
The
deserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East are conjured
up alongside the wilderness regions of North America on
this latest album from the prolific Seb Taylor and Natasha
Chamberlain in their Kaya Project guise. This is now the
fourth Kaya Project album building upon the high quality
sound that we have come to expect from artists also associated
with such acts as Angel Tears and Hibernation. Interchill
remains for now the label of choice and so anyone possessing
the previous 2008 release ... And So It Goes will have a
good idea what to expect. An array of guest musicians contribute
their talents, promotional material credit Shahin Badar,
Sabiha Khan, Irina Mikhailova and Deeyah with vocals; Riad
Abji with upright bass; Deepak Pandit with violin; Omar
Faruk Tekbilek ney and zourna. |
| |
| |
|
|
 |
|
----------Bruno
Sanfilippo + Mathias Grassow |
| STYLE |
|
Delicate
Old Lady Grand Piano impressions and subtle, air-filled drones.
Mathias Grassow lays down a series of gossamer drone textures
reminiscent of distant fogs - hazy, grey beds of transparent
tone with shifting densities that seep into the consciousness
softening the atmosphere, drenching the soundscape. These
electronic formations at times recede and hang in the background
allowing Bruno Sanfilippo's piano work to dominate, but in
other places they well up and fill the senses becoming dense,
intense, engrossing. The piano parts are achingly beautiful
and melodic on some tracks - sparse, unhurried developments
that seem to pour straight from the heart of the player. There
are also darker passages of finger runs looming from the relative
stillness of the synths. Sometimes the ivories sink deep within
the mists, reverberating gently, becoming a part of the air
or are so heavily effected as to merge with the backdrop.
|
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
CROMO
is a jewel case presentation with a fold-out insert. Cover
art is all comprised of soft shades of grey with abstract
light patterns arcing and streaking the surface. The front
cover holds a central image between broad bands of grey and
simple titles. On the back the tracks are listed against respective
times. The sleeve insert opens out to reveal a page of credits
and a gear list for both Grassow and Sanfilippo. Here too
are web site details and contact information. The innermost
double page spread is given over to a glassy abstraction in
grey with the legend CROMO = Cr as the only text. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
CROMO
[piano & drones] is the latest collaboration from Bruno
Sanfilippo and Mathias Grassow released via Bruno's own Ad21music
label. The album follows up the highly respected Ambessence:
Piano and Drones album of 2008 (also reviewed at
Morpheus Music). This current work delivers six mesmerising
compositions ranging in length from just over seven minutes
to the powerful nineteen minute nineteen second conclusion
- sixty two minutes in total. The melancholy grace of the
first release is once again present but this time there is
a darker tone tugging at the music a dramatic sense of anticipation.
The music can be sampled both at the Ad21
website and at Bruno
Sanfilippo's own site. |
| |
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|
|
 |
|
----------Krusseldorf
- Bohemian Groove |
| STYLE |
|
Electronic
downtempo with dub ambient and global chill elements. Krusseldorf
delivers a bright, colourful sound brimming with interesting
effects, dreamy melody lines and a very lush sound palette.
You'll hear ethnic violins, recorded voices, synthetic themes,
acoustic guitar, silky washes, piano phrases, programmed
creaks, flutters and clicks. The beats are mostly of a restful
nature - digitally constructed affairs of light electronic
ephemera interlocked with soft blunt bass lines that add
a nice weight to the low end. The music is appealingly harmonious
and melodic with repeating phrases interlocking and layering
upon one another - the ethnic performances skillfully juxtaposed
or deftly blended - complementary arpeggios weaving around
the main lines and smooth pads lifting everything into pleasant
buoyancy. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
The emphasis here is one of exploratory
bliss; Bohemian Groove being one of the most consistently
magical-serene albums I've heard in a while. Krusseldorf
avoids the trap of sounding like he's trying too hard to
be mysterious or exotic - the sonic formations having a
natural flow and genuine warmth that draw on the best of
many contemporary styles without becoming a shallow mishmash
of influences. Very beautiful in places.
|
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Having
only the promo copy I can't fully describe the packaging for
this release - but the two panel insert in my possession indicates
a high quality item. The moody, grey industrial feel of the
cover imagery hints at a seriousness found in Krusseldorf's
musical quality - a grunge textured logo on a metallic plate
structure. Within, a similar backdrop of corroded steels and
rust flecked surfaces holds track titles and an explanatory
paragraph on the left; credits, thanks and contact details
to the right. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Krusseldorf
is the solo project of Swedish born Simon Heath. Bohemian
Groove is the second full length album from the project,
a number of EPs having also been previously released. That
is not to say that Simon is a relative new-comer to the
scene, he has been involved in a list of other musical ventures
such as Abnocto, Couchlock, Alembic, Sojobo, Dorf Unit,
Preponderance and Knaprika. The fourteen albums under his
belt include five from the black ambient / noise /industrial
Atrium Carceri and eight as Za Frûmi Simon's classical
music persona. The current release comes as the debut delivery
from the new Beats and Pieces label (a label that promises
to remain unrestricted by genre within the electronic field.
The sound of Krusseldorf is generally of a dreamily chilled
nature - a clean, lustrous sound with glitchy, effected
sparkle. A very strong CD to launch the label - well worth
listening to at the Beats
and Pieces web site or Krusseldorf's
Myspace page. |
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Bohemian
Groove will likely appeal to the Cafe Del Mar summer chill
audience as well as a more glitch downtempo oriented group
of fans. The music has an inviting melodic nature whilst not
becoming sugar sweet. If you appreciated the recent music
of Seb Taylor's Hibernation - this will probably suit your
tastes. |
| |
|
| AUDIO |
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
----------Various
Artists - Chilly Peppers Vol. 1 |
| STYLE |
|
Chilled
electronic instrumentals. Beats & Pieces presents a
collection of downtempo moods that range from the thudding
regularity of the flick-specked To Hear and Listen from
Agalactia via the rubbery, bouncy dub of Dumping Factor's
Clouds in Open Sky and the sonorous tribal drumming of Sonic
Logic's Life is ... to the laid back jazzy brushed Reminisce
from Altair and finally beat free and meandering Fog by
Eastern Spirit. The album opens with a rather dramatic,
cinematic piece by Subterfuge - broad and shadowy with rolling
guitar patterns and tinkling chimes. But as if to demonstrate
immediately the scope of the album the more airy, mechanisms
of Agalactia drift in, bending the mood elsewhere. There
are some strongly dub oriented tracks gathered around the
mid point as well as some rather serene trancey sections
and lush soundscaping. Laid out in the form of a sonic journey |
| |
| MOOD |
|
Although
the downbeat pace of Chilly Peppers Vol. 1 is consistent,
the tone of this musical excursion is in constant flux. There
are sections of mesmerising dappled light such as the dreamy
Altair track, dancebeat reggae touched grooves and passages
of twinkling, exotic ambience. Tranquillo from Anro has something
of a gliding stratospheric lightness, whilst Bluetech's organ
driven Abandon All Cities has something of a progressive feel
to it. Capsula make use of affected voice samples and soft
piano to hypnotise and lift the listener; this high up floatational
feel is picked up by Lauge & Baba Gnohm in the restful
The Day After Yesterday. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
My
copy of Chilly Peppers Vol. 1 arrived in simple two panel
promotional sleeve so I can't describe the complete package.
But what I have indicates a solid presentation. The front
cover well captures the contrasting musical content with a
deliciously fresh, ice-crusted red pepper holding central
position. The back panel lists tracks and artists along with
relevant contact and production details. Inside, more frosted
chillies lie behind an expanded track list - this time including
writing and publishing information. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
New
label Beats & Pieces present their debut compilation
and the first in the Chilly Peppers series. Chilly Peppers
Vol. 1 is compiled by the experienced DJ Shahar and (as
the promotional wording outs it) "offers a great blend
of relaxed beats with psychedelic flavours and swaying dubby
moves". There is music here from Bluetech, Capsula,
Anahata, Eastern Sprit, Tor.ma in Dub, Agalactia & Altair.
The new project from Seb Taylor (Kaya Project/Angel Tears/Hibernation)
also appears - Subterfuge as well as developing artists
Lauge & Baba Gnohm, Anro, Dumping Factor & Sonic
Logic. In all eleven richly flavoured pieces make up this
collection that can be previewed at the Beats & Pieces
website. A strong opener and well worth exploring.
|
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Chilly
Peppers Vol. 1 will appeal most likely to downtempo fans that
enjoy the serious edge of psychedelic trance punctuated with
some danceable dub. The narrative structure of the album makes
it ideal as a headphones experience. |
| |
|
| AUDIO |
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
----------Alio
Die | Parallel Worlds - Circo Divino |
| STYLE |
|
Intensely
personal ambient electro-acoustic soundscapes. This delightful
album has a deep, mysterious beauty about it right from the
first few seconds. It would appear that these two gifted artists
compliment each other excellently, seamlessly blending their
contributions into an intuitive flow. The highly detailed
exploratory renderings of found sound, loops, drones, unusual
effects and treatments of Alio Die seem to entwine the modular
synthetics and analogue forms of Parallel Worlds and vice
versa. There is so much intriguing detail here - from the
light flickering beats that shift and morph, adorned with
metallic clatter, percussive disturbances and rattling noise
to the heady multi-layered atmospheres of smooth artificial
tone and environmental recordings. There are dark passages
of brooding strangeness where gutsy mechanical pulsing swells
and ethereal electrical susurrus well up in tandem, barely
discernible voices drifting within. There are places of light
sonic ephemera and airy warmth where watery currents and bell-like
chimes meander in exotic reverie. There are restful sections
of drifting textural sound and muted rhythmic clatter. Melody
is minimal, yet harmony is often present, many of the tracks
establishing tranquil other-worldly meditative zones that
almost have you floating. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Circo
Divino arrives in a richly coloured three-section digipack
adorned with hand painted images. The surrealist designs feature
vaulted tent structures that might be emerging from the neck
of a patterned skin vessel set against red/orange skies. Mysterious
figures lurk in the shadowy folds and corners of the imagery
whilst pennants twist above. All information is inside: on
the leftmost panel are credits, thanks and website details;
on the right is a tracklist, a gear list indicating who created
the various sounds; the disc sits centrally. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Circo
Divino is the result of an interesting pairing: ambient experimentalist
Alio Die (Stefano Musso) and electronic soundscaper Parallel
Worlds (Bakis Sirros). The very different musical approaches
of these two accomplished musicians, when combined, create
a lush and unique listening experience that is quite special.
Vocalist India Czajkowska from Poland adds another level of
depth and beauty, her vocalisations often far away down among
the musical elements. Released via Hic Sunt Leones, the six
tracks here are of medium length and are available both on
CD and as a limited edition of 500 vinyl copies. The album
can be ordered via Alio
Die's website or the Parallel
Worlds site. If you'd like to listen to some clips first
- there are some available at Junodownload. |
| |
| |
|
|
 |
|
----------Tor.Ma
in Dub - Jump High (From the Roots to the Stars) |
| STYLE |
|
Downtempo
psydub and dub-reggae infused electronica. Jump High sees
Tor.ma in Dub delivering what the name suggests - an album
steeped in dub and reggae sound imagery. The lumbering bass
lines and off beat drum rhythms of the genre drive many of
the tracks and there are abundant electric piano and organ
stab chords, echoing effects and rootsy vocal snippets. By
way of contrast psytrance elements are also widely employed;
slick digital effects, liquid arpeggio forms and some rather
spacey synthetics. The compositions are very rhythmically
impelling and ideal for dance floor whilst the exploratory
nature of the electronica holds the attention sufficiently
to make Jump High rewarding as a headphones experience too. |
| |
| MOOD |
|
Jump
High has an understated exuberance about it; bright sound
palettes and warm melodies with a lazy dance beat keep the
album on a high for the most part. As with much downbeat dub
a dreamy hypnotic quality tends to well up and leave the listener
nodding in pleasant reverie. The sharp abstract peripherals
and imaginative surface detail along with the atmospheric
intros and outros lend a trancy sci-fi aspect to the music
in many places. This is most strongly developed in the penultimate
Biocircuit where a more overt trance approach is brought to
the fore. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
The
promo copy I have features a leaping figure silhouetted against
a deep red/black space-sky. The ground beneath has tropical
palms rising from the grass and a dark pyramid off to one
side. The gold and green of this earthy section completes
the traditional colour scheme. On similar hues the rear panel
shows a tracklist along with relevant credits and website
information. A small circular insert shows what is presumably
the artist's recording studio. Within the pyramid form is
repeated, only here it dominates - its large dark mass radiating
beams of light that catch a group of leaping figures. Here
are thanks and some brief thoughts from Tor.ma in Dub. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Tor.ma
in Dub is the current project of Mexican based Rafael Hernandez.
Rafael is a musician/producer/DJ with an enthusiasm for
most forms of electronic music: Psytrance, Goa, Progressive
& Ethnic Trance, Dub, Ambient, Jazz and Reggae being
cited among his interests. Many of these genres are employed
to varying degrees in the Tor.ma in Dub sound where the
emphasis is on the Dub-Reggae side of electronic dance music.
Jump High follows the 2008 debut album Big Blue Story which
was released via Iono Music. This time upcoming Beats &
Pieces is the label of choice, Tor.ma in Dub joining an
interesting roster of diverse acts there that hints at some
further treats for the future. |
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Jump
High is an album for dub lovers that enjoy the chillout and
psychedelic end of the genre. If you want something downbeat
to dance to - this might well fit the bill. Why not visit
the Beats
& Pieces web site and have a listen - all the tracks
from the album are available there for preview.. |
| |
|
| AUDIO |
|
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|
