|
 |
|
----------Robert
Rich - Medicine Box |
|
STYLE |
|
November
2011
Lush, colourful, organic ambience.
Robert Rich further defines the trajectory established on
Ylang. Serene, graceful and heavenly on the one hand with
dreamy female wordless vocals and gliding, airy atmospheres;
earthy and exotic on the other with bird-like sounds, global
drum grooves and rich melodic phrases. Much of the grounding
of Medicine Box stems from the array of gutsy fusion beats
where sonorous hand drums, rattling international percussives,
metallic chimes and traditional drum kit sounds combine to
form timeless rhythms. Strong bass lines deepen the rhythmic
patterns leaning almost toward downtempo or dub in places.
The melodic content of Medicine Box is vibrant and varied:
peculiar synthetic sounds and global flavours buoying up hypnotic
themes developed on piano, flute, lap steel guitar or synthesiser.
|
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Medicine
Box presents a gorgeous visual palette full of colour, texture
and intriguing detail to complement the audio content. A three
panel digipack, the front cover nods somewhat toward the steampunk
aesthetic with tarnished brass or bronze cogs and windows
set into heavily painted wood. Opening out: the leftmost panel
shows a black and yellow salamander lizard crawling upon arcane
drawings on a yellowing page; the remaining central section
displays a track listing and credits upon a sheet of stained
squared paper, a painted blue box echoing drawn box forms.
The three inner panels have a very different feel: a montaged
phantasmagoria of creature parts, serpentine, insectile, winged,
furred, veined, coiled, apparently contained within the four
walls of worn boxes. Vibrant and beguiling, two such panels
bookend a central image where three fiery bugs? pods? seeds?
lie on a ground of olive green lichen. No words here inside
- just visuals. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Medicine
box sees ambient master Robert Rich return with the follow-up
to 2010's Ylang album. As before, Rich is joined by a variety
of collaborators: Haroun on guitar, Cheri Chuang on vocals,
Edo Castro on cello and Slim Heilpern on chromatic harmonica.
If anything the magic of Ylang is stronger here, the hues
more saturated, the scented air more heady. The nine tracks
provide just over and hour's listening time, mostly clocking
in at around the six/seven minute mark, with the ten minute
forty two second Helios concluding the set. Track titles do
much to set the tone for the music: Crepuscule, Salamander
Quay, Callyx, Pollen, Kaaruwana - haunting; full of introspective
wonder; from global to miniscule in scope; expressive and
highly personal. The music can be sampled at the Robert
Rich website or via CD
Baby |
| |
|
 |
|
----------Various
Artists - [Ambrosia] |
|
STYLE |
|
November
2011
Lush and engrossing psychill.
Ambrosia presents a high quality array of twinkling downtempo
gems. Some of the artists here might be unfamiliar to many
listeners, but the sound Ultimae vision and standard is maintained
throughout. The set opens with a light, bass-emptied programmed
groove soon given its bottom end by a deep low frequency pulse.
Sweeping synthetics upon many-layered melodic arps and clean
chimes ebb and flow in constant flux setting the tone for
what is to come. Miktek provides a shady plodding track that
throbs insistently, the beat coming and going, finally building
into lazy d'n'b busyness. This hint at drum and bass is echoed
in the following track, the flutter of high tempo steadied
by the more dominant half speed rhythm and ambient soundscaping.
Aes Dana leads the album into its more fully psychill core
with a lift of pace before a rather distinct piece from Sesen
suddenly takes the trip on something of a detour. This track
Sun Ritual with its two minute thirty beatless intro has a
limited palette of airy tones and echoing effects that suggest
a large water filled cavern. Asura delivers another stand-out
recording V.A.N.T.A. with choral voice samples lending a sense
of the sacred; a chanting crescendo falling off midway into
dreamy calm before a second massing begins. The final two
tracks have a very hypnotic, dreamy nature, Memphidos especially,
with Why finding our voyage becalmed, creaking percussives
and oceanic swells before heaving off on a breezy beat. Miktek
returns to close the set with the appropriately named Ominous
Ride: a crepuscular mood and measured beat supporting minimal
piano - we return to port in gathering darkness. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
[Ambrosia]
follows the current Ultimae format: glossy three panel digipack,
generous booklet slotting into and end section. Artwork features
intricate water patterns, bright trickling shoreline ripples
on the front cover; foam, bubbling tidal patterns and breakers
inside; almost geometrical light patterns on clear, shallow
water on the booklet cover. All titles sit within darkened
panels - tracks and times on the rear cover. Minimal label
info is the only textual material inside. The booklet holds
to the pattern of a page per track - coastal imagery mostly
in keeping with our Greek Islands itinerary. The contrasting
final double page spread holds a dark monochrome portrait
of Fishimself and a list of thanks and photo credits. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
French
label Ultimae releases its latest various artists album
Ambrosia compiled by 'ambient activist' Haris Papadimitriou
- aka Fishimself. The official biography informs us that,
among other things, "Fishimself is ...owner of Freeze
Magazine in Greece and IT Record shop in Athens, organiser
of the first almost ambient only festival in Europe ISLAND
OF FIRE ... and last but not least a outstanding DJ."
Here the ten selected tracks present a Greek Island odyssey
build around the music of a number of lesser known Greek
artists plus a couple of Ultimae mainstays: Max Million
and Gusk, Miktek, Sygnals, Sesen, Alpha Tek, Memphidos,
One Arc Degree, and two French guests, AES Dana and Asura.
The sense of a journey is strong here with an approach that
will more than compensate any fans concerned that Ultimae's
Fahrenheit series has concluded. As usual Ultimae
has a fine presentation at the label's web site where you
can explore the music and read more about the project. |
| |
|
 |
|
----------Steve
Roach - Journey Of One |
|
STYLE |
|
November
2011
Live tribal ambience.
Journey of One is well named as ambient legend Steve Roach
presents a two disc walkabout that showcases the evolution
of some of his most engrossing music from the mid-nineties
period. Disc one fades out of silence into an eerie electrospace
where languidly twisting pads are shot through with wirey
threads of tone and keening repeating motifs. Two minutes
in, a deep, soft beat arises and, with shattering percussive
flourishes, propels the music forward. Ethnic chants echo
in the distance, the beat shifts and Steve's rich didgeridoo
thickens the texture. Utilizing analog and digital synths,
clay water pots percussion, lustrous chimes, butterfly cocoons
and seed pod shakers and ocarinas, Roach unfolds a story that
looks Janus-like into the remote past and the future. Disc
two opens with a cavernous, murmuring drone that is later
joined by a hypnotic synthetic beat with tribal undertones.
Subsequent tracks reintroduce the unique groan of the didgeridoo
deeply integrated into ambient soundscape. Rattles and sonorous
hand drums against twilight expanses, lazy, dreamy or energetic
and vital, interchange with electronic twinkle and coruscation.
Track five sees a synth pattern reminiscent of early Berlin
school burble beneath a wash of smooth sonic atmosphere: beautiful,
soporific and highly immersive. The set concludes with a stratospheric
zone of pure silk: drifting, wandering, weightless and free. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Artwork
for Journey of One is made by the artist himself with photographs
by Katie Holm and graphic work by Projekt's Sam Rosenthal:
a gnarled and pitted earth-amber hued surface where images
of the performance appear within murky hand shadows. The rear
cover lists simply the two discs against their running times.
The three panels of this matt digipack open out to reveal
an inside spread where aboriginal dot patterns trail across
a second brown texture ground. The leftmost panel holds three
photographs of the concert and a discussion of the music along
with brief credits. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Journey
Of One is a double live album from the Steve Roach archives
having the subtitle: "the tribal ambient era Live 1996".
The music was recorded during "a vital period of innovation
for Steve" wherein his own solo material and collaborations
with Jorge Reyes, Suspended Memories, Vidna Obmana and Robert
Rich among others extended the boundaries and explored more
deeply fusions of ancient and modern sound sources made
possible by developing technology. Released on the Projekt
label, Journey Of One presents a solo concert captured at
Sacramento, California. Each disc contains a little less
than an hour of music divided into tracks that flow seamlessly
from one into an other: seven pieces on disc one, seven
on disc two. "These releases are sign posts at points
along the way, the journey of one man rapt in sound."
Almost too clear, too well crafted to be a live album: no
audience sound; yet with all the power and engrossing individuality
of a great, unique performance. |
| |
|
 |
|
----------Annie
Barker - ... For A Better Place |
|
STYLE |
|
November
2011
Dream pop, shoegazer, ethereal female vocals.
... For A Better Place is a beautiful EP of guitar driven
songs in the tradition of the Cocteau Twins. Guthrie's distinctive
guitar sound and Annie's lush, layered dreamy vocals make
comparisons inevitable. But that's no bad thing - this is
not a weak imitation from wannabe sound-alikes - the five
tracks here are remarkably sound and immersive. The singing
is inventive, soaring and passionate exhibiting an exciting
range and pleasing variety of approach. The opener Cruel
sets the tone with electronic spangles and echoing vibes
upon a subtle electro-beat, gentle singing, intimate and
heavenly at the same time. Rich guitar patterns drift in
a little later, a second verse, then the drums broaden and
the vocal reverie deepens: a slow motion crescendo of gorgeous
shoegazer majesty. I especially like Ghetto Birds where
the wistful, lulling qualities of airy voice and misty soundscaping
really come together to enshroud the stark lyrical material
in a cocoon of agonising beauty. There's not a weak track
on the disc though: Coat Off also astounds with delightful
layered singing and So Refined heaves with oceanic crescendos
of emotion. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
...
For A Better Place arrives in a smooth matt finish digipack
of two panels. The pair open out to reveal a single panoramic
image where the singer plus two children stand hand in hand
gazing across a twilight field; when closed a simple field
of long grass and a lone tree fill the front cover. Track
titles are on the rear section. Inside, the left section contains
lyrics to each track so that the bitter sweet juxtaposition
of the songs here can be more fully appreciated. Brief credits
and thanks sit behind the dics itself on the right. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Singer
songwriter Annie Barker returns to collaborate with producer
Robin Guthrie (of Cocteau Twins fame) with a stunning five
track EP. ... For A Better Place comes five years after Annie's
debut album Mountains and Tumult and seems like a great leap
forward musically. The five tracks here include a remix of
Cruel by Manual (aka Jonas Munk) who gives the opener a subtle
reworking, holding the drums back until just after the mid
point. If this EP is anything to go by then there could be
wonderful things ahead for lovers of this kind of music: where
Mountains and Tumult had the raw feel of an artist finding
their sound, ...For A Better Place sees Annie Barker truly
ascending, confident and bewitching. Sounds can be explored
on the Annie Barker website, where there is plenty of information
and opportunities to make a purchase. |
| |
| |
| |
|
 |
|
----------Zero
Cult - Vacuum |
|
STYLE |
|
December 2011
Ambient chillout and blissful downtempo.
Vacuum is a delicate and sensitive album of lush, evocative
electronica where languid beats and dream-like soundscapes
support subtle melodies. These softly unfolding themes heave
with hypnotic beauty, yet always retain plenty of complementary
shade and dignity. Most tracks have extended, unhurried
introductions where Zero Cult's ambient atmospheres can
fully spread like multi-coloured mists before the rhythmic
material sets everything in motion. There are also plenty
of beatless interludes where the percussion falls away completely
and sometimes the whole melodic framework too, leaving the
listener gliding upon faint air currents ready, anticipating
the second coming. Overall, Vacuum has a fine balance of
light and shadow, delivering attractive compositions that
feed the attention whilst neatly avoiding the clichés
of the psychill mainstream. |
| |
| IN
DEPTH |
|
Vacuum
opens gradually with a hypnotic interplay of misty pads
and lustrous echoing effects; sonic winds curl around ascending
tones and a gentle rhythmic structure slowly coalesces:
vibes, synth arps, bass pulse and, about three minutes in,
a ponderous programmed groove. This track - Muse - establishes
what the album is all about: saturated colour; serene harmonies
and breezy beats. Heartworks sees the trance elements of
Zero Cult's sound solidify around a bubbling bassline and
measured beat, but this denser sound quickly evaporates
as the next track once again takes on a more weightless
approach. The album has at its centre the gorgeous Second
Breath, this is a wonderfully transportational piece that
revolves around a mesmerising motif that carefully evolves
and repeats with a tender, insistent intensity. 8 Hertz
introduces a more mechanistic tone arising out of dark drones
and reverberating voice samples: here a sparse, thumping
kick and grumbling bass line give the track a slightly sinister
edge. For the most part this is a purely instrumental album,
however, just before the end there is a track that casts
a different spell: a soporific, meandering piece of hazy
euphoria where an unusual female vocal hangs in the air,
haunting the synthetics with a wistful song from New Zealand's
Aviatrix. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
The
cover artwork for Vacuum features a hi-key design where a
complex tangle of synthetic grey-white thorns lies upon a
smooth, pale, infinite plane. Like some hollow, plastic urchin
or structure of artificial cactus spines this jagged, monochrome
formation is in stark contrast to the curving, fluid music
within. I don't yet have a physical copy of this album and
so can't comment on other artwork except to say that I have
had a number of Cosmic Leaf releases over the years and the
graphic quality is of a consistently high standard. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
Israel's
Emil Ilyayev returns here with his sixth album of downtempo
trance and follow-up to the 2010 release: Clouds Garden.
Once more on Cosmic Leaf Records, Zero Cult delivers a maturing
sound that luxuriates deep within the reverie of ambient
chillout. The ten tracks here include two versions of the
deliriously laid back Second Breath: an original mix and
a second vocal radio edit featuring Aviatrix with the distinctive
voice of Kerensa Stephens. Dying
Dolphin has an accompanying video aimed at raising awareness
of the plight of these endangered mammals. The footage displays
some of the horrors of the 30 000 or so dolphins slaughtered
around the world each year. You can further learn of Vacuum
at the Cosmic
Leaf website or you might like to visit the official
Zero Cult pages at Myspace
and Facebook. |
| |
| ARTIST'S
THOUGHTS |
|
Vacuum
is an album of almost two years of creation, it reflects my
emotional experience
within that time. I advise listening to the album as one complete
whole, then you'll get the fullest pleasure from listening
to the music. |
| |
|
| LABEL'S
THOUGHTS |
|
Release Info:
Zero Cult is back with his new 6th ambient chill album, Vacuum.One
of the most selling and high feedbacked cosmicleaf artists.His
wonderful trance influenced soundscapes that creates, combined
with the mysterious downtempo melodies and rhythms, promising
a great sound pleasure for the downtempo listeners.
Label Info:
Cosmicleaf is one of a new wave of labels from the global
progressive and psy-trance underground that is reinventing
dance music for the ambient zone beyond just stripping away
the fast tempos. The global talent such labels are attracting
is inspiring. Cosmicleaf releases have both darkness and
light, familar genre sounds and strange new sounds, a mindset
open to genuine variety and which understands "beautiful"
is something profound, not cheesy or trite.
The ambient spaces between electro, trance, rock and world
fusion are fertile ones, and the richness here suggests
a group of artists diving headlong into them with passion,
open minds and impressive programming skills.
|
| |
|
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| AUDIO |
|
|
| |
|
|
| TECHNICAL |
|
Catalog Number: CLCD038DG
Genre: Ambient,Downtempo,Trance,Electronic,New Age,Electro
Ambient,Electronic
Label: Cosmicleaf Records
Release Date: 02 December 2011
Label Link: www.cosmicleaf.com
Artist Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zero-Cult/43520643043
|
|
 |
|
----------Darshan
Ambient - Dream In Blue |
|
STYLE |
|
December
2011
Electronic ambient and jazz fusion.
Dream In Blue sees Darshan Ambient infusing his trademark
smooth ambient groove with elements of jazz: brushed drums
and lazy double bass; electronic guitar, trumpet and piano
leads; intricate drum beats and baleful themes. The soft programmed
percussion that usually graces Darshan Ambient albums still
provides a muted heartbeat to many tracks - tranquil, serene.
The pleasant melodies, where soft, keening synths sing against
more organic instrumentation are still a feature. There are
passages of beatless ambience such as the drifting Waiting
On A Dead Man's Horse; the mournful piano, trumpet and strings
of Silent Smile (Angelo's Song). |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
Dream
In Blue arrives in a sleek, dark card wallet of two panels;
black inside and out. All except one panel hold chiaroscuro
portrait photographs of the artist, features stark in the
raking light. The rear cover, as is traditional, presents
a track list along with credits for artwork and recording
dates. The inside left has only another side-lit portrait
rising out of darkness; the right panel provides a description
of the creative process for the album, pointing out that Michael
Allison plays all of the instruments on the album himself. |
| |
| OVERALL |
|
This
latest release from Darshan ambient comes as follow-up to
last year's A Day Within Days. Once more the album is released
via the Spotted Peccary/Lotuspike label. From a history in
the 1980's playing bass and singing in various groups (such
as Nona Hendryx & Zero Cool, China Shop, Richard Hell
and The Voidoids and Empty House) Michael Allison moved on
to ambient music around 1992 in order to concentrate on his
solo ideas in expression of his interest in self-realisation.
Starting out as an homage to such legendary jazz notables
as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Dream In Blue seeks to combine
the free form elements of improvisation, ambient meandering
and global musical expression. There are eleven recording
here, all of which can be sampled at the Spotted
Peccary website. |
| |
|
