Cue Records (Groove)
Heezerweg 158, 5614 HH Eindhoven, The Netherlands/31-40-2120013.
The Edge of Infinity is Alpha Wave Movement's second release. The artists at Cue Records
liked Transcendence so well that they invited Gregory Kyryluk, the artist behind Alpha
Wave Movement, to submit his new work to them. The tracks on The Edge of Infinity are much
more percussive than those on Transcendence, and have more drive and movement. I
personally like this release much better than the first. It is both more exciting and more
interesting to me, and shows considerable maturity and sophistication. The ambient
landscapes created are spacious and mysterious, with both light and dark textures.
Recommended tracks include: "Binary Code 51", "The Edge of Infinity",
"Monolith" and "Purge", although all tracks are strong. This album
should please radio audiences of electronic/ambient shows. Give it a serious listen.
Relapse Records
P.O. Box 251, Millersville,PA 17551/717-397-9221.
The Natural Philosophy of Love is filled with tragedy and sadness, a compelling collection
of love songs romantic and bittersweet. The violin, cello, and guitar are exquisite, and
combined with the haunting voice of Kris Force create a lushness of sound worth drowning
in. The mating moths on the liner notes are allegorical of the fleeting nature of love and
life, a theme consistent with the sorrow and loss felt when listening to Amber Asylum.
This is a darkly beautiful CD, with the gothic ambience of the best of the Projekt artists
(Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Attrition, Loveliescrushing), and demonstrates Release's
commitment to a strikingly diverse catalogue. All the edits are wonderful, but my personal
favorites are "Cupid", "Looking Glass" and "Torinda and
Toringal". At only 42 minutes long, this CD seems as short as its ephemeral
lepidopterans. I want to linger in its melancholy, but it fades to silence.
Mindspore Records
540 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite 289, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Richard Sun and his band of ambient wizards (including E.A.R. and Stephen Kent) have
constructed a fascinating collage of tribal/space trance/dance music. With its hypnotic
electronic and tribal percussion, this music gets deep into your head. Submerged
incomprehensible vocals combined with digeridoo convey subliminal mystic messages. The
music is mysterious, otherwordly, and mesmerizing, and creates a thoroughly . Drawing on
the traditions of space music, psychedelic rock, and electronic ambience, Planetery House
Nation weaves a fresh, compelling mix of ambient styles into a consistently interesting
melange of sound. I would like to recommend specific edits, but every time I listen to the
album I hear a different favorite. "That Galaxy Called Infinity" was an early
favorite, and would be a good place for radio programmers to start. This is one of 3
recent releases from Mindspore, all of which are great. I look forward to future releases
from ATOI and Mindspore Records. This is an awesome start.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers, keyboards, tribal percussion elements, digeridoo, and voice.
Trance Port
P.O. Box 85436, Los Angeles, CA 90072.
New age music frequently draws inspiration from water: rivers, oceans, and rain all can
bring us comfort and a feeling of connection with the earth. A Produce, however, finds his
muse in desert landscapes, and music from the deserts has never been quite as comforting.
Inscape and Landscape is a wonderful release, and will please those already familiar with
his music, as well as attract new fans that are hearing him for the first time. The
aridity, silence, and solitude of the desert bring introspection, purification, and peace.
Despite the strong theme, the tracks are really quite diverse, and require a careful
listen. "Inscape and Landscape", "First Glimpse" and "Dwell"
are my favorite edits, with the tolling bell of the latter being especially effective in
creating psychoactive space. Given this release and his very strong White Sands of last
year, I feel confident that A Produce will distinguish himself as one of the more
important voices in ambient music in this decade.
Tranceport
P.O. Box 85436, Los Angeles, CA 90072
Reflect Like a Mirror, Respond Like an Echo is a rerelease of a 1992 limited release of
the same name, and includes the songs from that CD plus 3 bonus tracks, including an
extended edit of "A Smooth Surface", which originally appeared as an EP in 1994.
Recorded with Pierre Lambow, Rubin Garcia, and other guests, this CD contains some of A
Produce's best work, and presents an excellent opportunity for those who enjoyed White
Sands or some of his edits on recent compilations to obtain this out-of-stock gem. The CD
was heavily influenced by the Taoist radio program "Bio-Meditation" hosted by
Jack Gariss. This influence is reflected in the slow paced, balanced, electronic
compositions, which convey a sense of peace and center to the attentive listener. Lacking
the saccharin sweetness of some new age music, this release is still strongly linked to
that genre through its meditative spirituality. Several pieces were especially evocative
for me, including: "Clear Pools", "Slow Voyage", "Native
Pulse", and "Rousseau's Jungle". I was also very happy to hear the full
version of the minimal electronic chimes and drone piece "A Smooth Surface". A
Produce is likely one of the best electronic ambient talents of this decade, and I highly
recommend this distinctive, introspective CD.
Trance Port
P.O. Box 85436 Los Angelos, CA 90072.
White Sands is a retrospective by A Produce containing edits from three previous releases
as well as several unreleased tracks and alternate mixes. This is a contemplative, diverse
mix of slow ambient synthesizer pieces which compare favorably with similar works by Brian
Eno, Steve Roach, Aphex Twin, and Seti. The CD flows well even though it contains a
considerable variety of sounds, and merits a serious listen. There is something here for
every new age/ambient/space music enthusiast. Electronic new age (Tracks 8, 9), tribal
techno (Track 7), "Neroli"-like meditative (Track 5), ambient (Tracks 2, 11,
15), and sombient (Tracks 3, 10, 12, 14) pieces, as well as works falling between
definable genres, make this one of my favorite recent releases of ambient music by a
single artist.
Projekt
Box 166155, Chicago, IL 60616/312-913-9160
Thomas-Carlyle Ayres, the voice behind Arcanta, delivers a powerful, moving performance on
his latest release, The Eternal Return. His voice is amazingly full, sonorous, and
controlled. Although some processing of his voice occurs in some tracks, I can attest from
the live performance that I have seen that this CD is not recording studio smoke and
mirrors, he really does have a phenomenal voice. In fact, as good as it is, the CD does
not reflect the magnitude of his presence on stage. Sampling primarily the traditions of
classical and medieval religious music, Ayres creates spiritual, liberating songs that
rise from the foundation of human pain and suffering. Arcanta has a fresh, unique sound,
unlike anything else I have heard recently, and should appeal to a broad range of
listeners. "Via Dolorosa", "There is No God but God", and "The
Solitary Pilgrim" are my current favorites. "Kyrie" and "Eleison"
are different arrangements of the same tune, and are both excellent as well. I like the
non-English lyrics best (more mystery), although the delivery on "Maya" is
remarkable enough that I am able to overlook the loss of mystery. If you have not had a
chance to listen to this wonderful release, make it happen soon.
Instrumentation: Accapella voice, processed voice, some electronics and percussion as background on some tracks.
Lektronic Soundscapes
P.O. Box 15867, Durham, NC 27704-0867/919-416-9454
Dwight Ashley and Tim Story succeed in producing fresh, original, and varied compositions
in their haunting and evocative second release together, Drop. Tim Story's strong melodic
sense comes through on a number of the compositions, my favorite of which is "A
Ripening", which has a beautiful, contemplative piano melody reminiscent of The Fatal
Flaw underscored by perfectly supportive electronics. Other tracks are darker, with murky
electronics and drones, such as are found in "The Alcohol Years". What is so
striking about this CD is the breadth of musical moods and effects that are explored. The
marimbas on "The Staggers" give percussion to an otherwise percussionless album.
Samples of Tim's infant daughter set apart "Rift". Yet, despite the incredible
variety on Drop, the CD is held together thematically by a characteristic deliberate,
meditative pace, and a pulsing sound where notes are played and allowed to diminish in
volume before the next notes appear. The album is masterfully crafted, and is my favorite
release by Story, although I must admit to not having heard his other release with Ashley,
which is an album I will now seek to obtain. An excellent CD, this should appeal to a
large ambient audience, having sweetness and darkness juxtaposed in such a way that both
are deepened by the association. I recommend it highly.
Projekt
218 S. Wabash #926, Chicago, IL 60604-2316/312-913-9160.
Étude, subtitled Interpretations in a Classical Form, is an unusual and
strikingly original release. Attrition has long used stringed instruments, female voice,
and the low, punctuated gutteral voice of Martin Bowes to produce distinctive,
uncategorical music. In this release the stringed instruments take a more central stage,
and original Attrition compositions are reinterpreted in a classical vein. The songs are
high-energy pieces, with a sharp, forceful delivery that is bracing. Although less
extensively used, Bowes voice is still heard, along with the distinctive vocals of Julia
Waller. This is uncompromising, serious music unlike any other contemporary artist I have
heard. It is not relaxing. It is not danceable. It fits none of the common monikers one
might try to use: classical, gothic, ambient, new age, pop. This is not for the
faint-hearted radio programmer, but should find a good reception among the adventurous,
who yearn for something really original in an industry that continually repackages and
promotes the old.
Instrumentation: viola, violin, organ, percussion, voice.
Point Music
This album causes me unease. Brian Eno's Music for Airports is possibly my favorite
ambient album, indeed the album that defined the ambient genre, the album that introduced
listeners and musicians to a new concept, a new era in music, an album that even 20 years
after its release is still fascinating and fresh. Bang on a Can have scored the album, and
perform it live, in real time, with real people, with no tape loops, but with seriousness,
precision, and virtuosity. The score is very faithful to the original, and the performance
is exceptional, an interpretation with different instrumentation, but identical pace and
feel. What I find disconcerting is that the concept of a live performance from a musical
script is alien to Eno's original concept, ambient music created as a process. Music for
Airports is my favorite process music, music in which tape loops of different length but
complementary harmony are set in play and the process of what comes about is recorded. Eno
explored process music in a number of albums (explained in most detail in the liner notes
for Discreet Music), and the music by definition is spontaneous, even to the composer. To
score process music and play it note for note is not spontaneous, and stands this music on
its head. However, Bang on a Can have the nerve, will, and skill to do this, and
demonstrate boldness in such a conceptual departure, which had at least the partial
blessing and assistance from Eno himself if liner notes are to be believed. One listens to
this music as if in a concert hall with a small group of musicians playing a contemporary
score on concert hall acoustic instruments. The music is more demanding of attention
because of the intricacy created by the instrumental variety. I have enjoyed repeated
listenting to the CD, the contemporary classical delivery causing enough discomfort in me
to pique my curiosity and keep my interest. For someone who is not such an ambient purist,
this album will mesmerize and delight without irritation. It is a brilliant delivery of
wonderful music.
Instrumentation: piano, keyboards, bass, cello, violin, electric guitar, mandolin, clarinet, flute, pipa, horn, trumpet, trombone, women's voices, marimba, tubular bells, tuned gongs, vibraphone, glockenspiel, brake drums.
Projekt
Box 166155, Chicago, IL 60616/312-491-0104
Remnants of a Deeper Purity is a haunting look into the soul of Sam Rosenthal, founder of
Projekt and keyboardist/muse for Black Tape for a Blue Girl. This album continues in the
romantic-gothic tradition of other releases by this seminal band. Lush electronic
backgrounds are complimented by violin, cello, and sparse, melodic vocals. The lyrics are
tragic, filled with loss and pain, yet reflect a release and catharsis that precedes
rebirth. The longest piece, "For you will burn your wings upon the sun", is
certainly one of the most ambient tracks. "Wings tattered, fallen" and "Fin
de siécle" are my personal favorites, although all tracks possess power and beauty.
This is a must for contemplative late-night airplay.
Quirkworks
P.O. Box 229, Greenville, RI 02828/401-232-0210
Richard bone again delivers a quirky, delightful performance on Electropica. Inspired by
several bosa nova masters, Bone has put together his second "ambient lounge"
music CD, which is not quite as light hearted or dark as Metaphysic Mambo. Richard has a
distinctive muse. This music is strictly electronic, pleasant, deliberate, and cool, with
the signature bassy electronics to be found in all of Bone's albums. The strange vocal
samples on three of the tracks are also consistent with his past sound. The lounge
atmosphere and simplicity of instrumentation may make one wonder if Bone should be taken
seriously. One of my coworkers on hearing "Ipanema 2000" danced around the room
saying it reminded her of some guy in a purple leisure suit in a bar saying "This
one's for you, baby." Exactly. She pinned the mood. The music is clever and
compelling. The ambience varies from sad, to sultry, to mysterious, to peaceful calm. I
especially recommend "Little Orpheus", "Ipanema 2000", "Pao,
Baby" and hidden track 12. My favorite is "Amazona Adeus", with its dark
edge and full, sweeping sound. Richard bone is a real original at a time when few artists
stand out as truly unique. If you are looking for ambient music with a weird twist, then
"This one's for you, baby!"
Instrumentation: synthesizers and samplers.
Quirkworks
P.O. Box 229, Greenville, RI 02828
Richard Bone follows two excellent releases this year (Ambiento and Vox Orbita) with The
Eternal Now, featuring two compositions of 6 and 4 movements each. The Eternal Now is more
serious and mystical than the somewhat light- hearted Vox Orbita or faster-paced Ambiento.
The music was mastered with an Ensoniq ESQ 1 Controller, and consists mainly of created
rather than found samples. At times the album evokes a Fripp/Eno sound (Zone One), at
other times the music is reminiscent of Jarre (Zone Six), but for the most part the tracks
are varied and original without clear antecedents. The Eternal Now conveys a sense of
personal release and personal peace, and is by Bone's own admission an intuitive work put
together by feeling and instinct. This will likely be Bone's most accessible and
successful work, and should find broad support among new age audiences.
Available from Terra Luna
46 Pleasant Street, South Weymouth, MA 02190/800-359-6845
Richard Bone has released possibly his finest recording yet with Metaphysic Mambo. This
album combines the quirky and sometimes dark humor of his earlier Vox Orbita with the
skillful istrumentation and layering of Ambiento and The Eternal Now. Most tracks have a
clear beat that moves the pieces along, and the strong rhythms, some with a Latin flair,
are probably why Bone himself refers to this music as Ambient Lounge. The sampled vocals
are great. I find "History of the Earth", "Turn the Lights Off, Bill",
and "Every Word She Mambos" consistently amusing and interesting. Other edits
are ambiguous in their mood and message, such as "Cancion del Arco" and
"Without Name or Number", and add to the diversity and attraction of the CD. Of
the albums that have crossed my desk in the last four months, this is one of my personal
favorites. It lacks the sentimentality and peace of many new age releases, while avoiding
the darkness and spaciness of many purely ambient recordings. Bone is an original, and his
music is not easily comparable to others. Be sure to give your listeners a chance to hear
the fresh, fun sound of Metaphysic Mambo.
Hypnos Recordings
P.O. Box 6868, Portland, OR 97228
mgriffin@hypnos.com/www.hypnos.com
At first impression, "The Spectral Ships" marks a striking departure from
Richard Bone's last several albums. Voice samples are very sparingly used (only on the
first and last tracks), the characteristic pulsing, bassy electronic rhythm elements are
absent, and the sardonic humor is missing. Spectral ships is the most ambient and subtle
album in Bone's discography. The songs are quiet, mysterious, and eerie. It is darker and
more introspective than Richard's other ambient effort "The Eternal Now". The
ambient audiophile will find some fresh and fascinating music on this album. The spooky
electronic background in "Palantine" is overlaid with a sweet melancholy piano,
the environmental treatments on "Nocturna" and "Fata Morgana"
interweave with pseudo-environmental electronics such that origins of the sounds are murky
and confusing, and the melodies of many of the tracks can be simultaneously dark and
inspirational, an ambiguity delightful to my jaded ears. Richard Bone has created a work
of sophistication and finesse, demonstraing again his originality among ambient music
composers. "The Spectral Ships" should please his fans and new listeners alike,
and will play well on electronic, space, and ambient radio.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers, samplers, loops.
Quirkworks Laboratory
P.O. Box 229, Greenville, RI 02828/401-232-0210
A Survey of Remembered Things came in to existence after the two musicians and friends,
Richard Bone and John Orsi, shared a few edits they were working on and realized the
pieces went well together. The CD has two suites, the first by Bone, the second by Orsi,
with a hidden track at the end by Richard. Although composed in isolation, the pieces
meshed so tightly that I had to examine the tracks to see when one left off and the other
began. Bone has produced a variety of excellent work, and in this newest effort continues
to develop his sound, a distinctive synthesizer ambient music built on the rhythm line.
Orsi, a drummer in the group Knitting by Twilight, uses piano, synths, drums, and samples
to create a sound that is at times reminiscent of Philip Perkins "Hall of
Flowers" and at times reminiscent of Bone himself. Although a cohesive album, there
is actually quite a variety of approaches and moods on the album. "Chango" and
"Paradigm Pool" have the slightly dark rhythm-based sound characteristic in
Bone's earlier releases. "Mercurial Wave" is calming and Eno-like.
"Komarov's Fire" conveys nobility and courage. "In a Toy Room" is the
up-beat, Perkins-like edit, while "Broken Ballet" is sweetly melancholic.
Richard Bone has not disappointed me yet, and hopefully this release will bring him the
radio exposure and commercial success he deserves.
Instrumentation: synthesizers, piano, drums, samples.
Groove Unlimited
P.O. Box 2171, 8203 Lelystad, The Netherlands/31-320-250028
Ron Boots is one of the more prolific and consistently good synthesizer musicians still
exploring the idiom of analog synthesizers. Too Many Secrets is one long (74 minutes) edit
consisting of a number of movements. This makes radio play difficult, although the first
movement (9 minutes) is an excellent introduction and could be played by the enterprising
radio DJ. I actually have played much longer edits on my show and have not failed once to
get interested callers. The first 28 minutes contains 3 movements and a few seconds of
quiet at the end, making another good radio edit. Although some pieces have a lot of
movement and melody, the majority of the composition is quieter and more atmospheric. It
was recorded at night, and is very peaceful and warm. It is relaxing and emotive,
excellent for quiet, contmeplative moments. Too Many Secrets is a varied and diverse audio
experience, good for both casual and concentrated listening. I recommend it to all new age
and electronic music fans.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers, understated environmental samples.
Gyroscope/All Saints Records
Caroline Records, 104 W 29th St. New York, NY 10001
It is a great pleasure to see another release from Harold Budd. Luxa features piano and
synthesizer, with bell and gourd samples from Nigeria, Ghana, and India. Although there
are sixteen tracks, they are thematically and musically grouped into four pieces.
"BUTTERFLIES WITH TITS" contains six meditative, semi-melancholic pieces
dominated by piano, with a low frequency synthesizer backgrounds and subtle gourds and
bells. The tunes are understated and very effective at creating a contemplative mental
state. I recommend "Niki D" and "Paul McCarthy". The third group of
pieces are my personal favorites. These synthesizer tracks are ambient sensu stricto, and
would fit right in with Brian Eno's Neroli or Thursday Afternoon releases (although
shorter and moving a bit faster). They sounded very much like process music, particularly
"Grace", which appears to be constructed of two bell samples and a synthesizer
track which come in and out of sequence, creating a slowly undulating polyrhythmic melody.
"Chet" is also process-like, making effective use of silent pauses, very
reminiscent of the tracks in Music for Airports. This CD is artfully crafted. With minimal
instrumentation Budd creates a diverse yet unified set of melodies, and demonstrates his
mastery of ambient music composition.
Mode
P.O. Box 1026, New York, NY 10116
Cage is likely the most important avant-garde composer of this century. Cage's work was
usually provocatively controversial, but always seminal. He pioneered process music,
electronic concert music, ethnic instrumentation, and new instrumentation (such as his
prepared piano). The four pieces on this release include piano, violin, and rainsticks.
The music is sparse in comparison to the ambient music getting airplay today, and as
others have said of Cage's music, the conception is sometimes more interesting than the
execution. However, the piece for 12 rainsticks, violin, and 2 pianos (Four3) is
meditative and calming, and could find friends among new age fans.
Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra
8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite D-82, Los Angeles, CA 90045/310-577-1480.
For long-time fans of electronic ambience, the group Cluster (consisting of Hans Joachim
Rodelius & Dieter Moebius) has legendary status. Their collaboration with Brian Eno
helped define the ambient genre, and is still regularly requested on many space music
programs. Their first ever US tour is captured in a two CD set that contains a fascinating
variety of electronic music. Calming pieces are mixed with edgy electronics. Cavernous
sombient landscapes and spacious atmospheres in the finest germanic electronic tradition
are here. Although the pieces were recorded at various venues throughout the tour, the
music flows well from track to track, forming a cohesive body of work. Applause is
exceedingly sparse (1 track only), and thus does not muddy the mood. I personally like the
longer pieces ("New York City", "Portland #1" and "Eugene")
because of the way they build and evolve. However, some of the short pieces display
brilliance, "Phoenix #1" and "Ashville" being my favorite of these.
Cluster's First Encounter Tour 1996 is an unqulaified success, and should make new fans as
well as please old ones.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers (including Moog), piano, chimes.
Spectral Spiral Music
P.O. Box 466, South Glastonbury, CT 06073/860-633-5057
Jim Cole and Alan Dow, together with several others, have produced a decidedly original
and fascinating album. Coalescence is unique in both its conception and execution. The
singers all have mastered the central Asian technique of subharmonic singing (the type of
vocalization heard in Tuvan singing and Tibetan chanting). They found a highly resonant
recording location - a water tower - and went to it together to chant by candlelight. The
songs have no words, there is no percussive line, and the chanting is improvisational by
admission. Tamboura is present on a few cuts, but most of the CD is voice only and is
recorded in real time. The outcome is a highly spiritual, mystical ambience completely
different from the more structured singing I have heard by Asian performers. It has the
feeling of Buddhist mantric music and indeed communicates center and peace when absorbed
carefully. The variety of subharmonic technique is amazing, and the resonance of the water
tower is so complete that tones echo and persist for up to 30 seconds after they are
voiced. I find the two tracks which lack subharmonic singing (6 & 12) to be somewhat
out-of-place; normal voice almost seems harsh in comparison to the softness of
subharmonics. However, all of the other tracks are mesmerizing. This brilliant release
will secure Cole and his spectral colleagues a unique place in the ambient music scene,
one unlikely to be crowded any time soon. The technique is too difficult for casual
imitation.
Instruments: Voice, Tamboura.
Hypnotic Recordings
8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite D-82, Los Angeles, CA 90045
On Gilded Shadows, Controlled Bleeding demonstrate their amazing ability to continue to
sound great without lingering too long in any one musical formula. This release features
Paul Lemos, Joe Papa, and Trang, the same line up as in Hymn from the Shawdows. Some of
the same themes are explored, although this album has a different percussive feel, for the
most part departing from the dub sound characteristic of some of Controlled Bleeding's
recent releases. Trang's voice is seductive and mysterious, while the emotive open vowel,
wordless vocals of Joe Papa and Paul Lemos provide continuity with their past work. Though
quite varied, I like every track on this CD. "Stillbirth" combines Lemos'
peculiar brand of instrumental ambience with hard metallic guitar riffs and matching
vocals. "Gilded Shadows" moves seemlessly from Trang's lyrical vocal to the
sweeping, dramatic vocals of Lemos and Papa. "Fire Inside" and "Lover's
Remorse" are the most ambient and instrumental pieces. A four-note theme developed in
"Removing the Veil" is revisited several times later in the CD, pulling the work
into an even more cohesive composition. I find this CD especially satisfying because of
the variety, complexity and artfulness of all tracks. Samples are unobtrusively woven into
the fabric of the sound, and the songs are masterfully mixed so that an entrancing,
consistently mesmerizing music is achieved. Critical fans of Controlled Bleeding will be
pleased with this release, as will the new fans it should create.
Instrumentation: synthesizers, drum, bass, other percussion, samples, voice.
Hypnotic/Cleopatra
8726 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Ste. D-82, Los Angeles, CA 90045/310-577-1480.
Inanition is a generously long, 2-CD release from the prolific, pioneering
noise/ambient/industrial band Controlled Bleeding. This album provides an excellent
introduction to the ambient work of this group, consisting of one CD of new work and an
ambient retrospective CD for the years 1985-1994. Paul Lemos, the primary composer and
instrumentalist for the group, is also the producer of the Dry Lungs compilations that
have featured some of the newest and most extreme noise/ambient/indescribable artists over
the past decade. Joe Papa provides a distinctive vocal on this instrumental collection in
"Tormentor's Song". Trang, a recent addition to the group, provides contrasting
vocals in several of the new edits, her most audible appearance being in "Trang and
I", an ambient piece with a cool jazz-rock beat and other surprises. My favorite edit
on the album is "Hymn from the Shawdows", a cosmic piece that for me evokes a
feeling of creation from chaos; from a wall of low frequency sound, layers of cryptic
whispered voices emerge, and are eventually followed by a full orchestral synthesizer. The
ambient music of Controlled Bleeding is reminiscent of the dark aural landscapes of Steve
Roach, Robert Rich, Brian Lustmord, Current 93, and Nurse with Wound, and programmers who
appreciate these artists will certainly want to obtain a copy of Inanition. However,
Controlled Bleeding is very distinctive, making their work even more appreciated in a
market filled with similar-sounding music. They come to the ambient scene from a
completely different direction than the trance, tribal, and space music bands, and
demonstrate the richness and vitality available under the moniker of "ambient
music".
R.H.C. Productions
P.O. Box 4172, Westmount, Quebec, Canada H3Z 3B6
The Silent Path captures the essence of new age sensitivity and spirituality. The music is
designed for healing and contemplation, and consists of slow peace-filled melodies which
relax and uplift the listener The chief instruments are synthesizer, cello, guitar, flute,
and angelic voice, with sparing use of the giant sacred bowl, whose bell-like tones
introduce and conclude some of the tracks. Of the healing music with which I am familiar,
I like this best, finding it interesting, beautiful, and compelling even after many
listens. Although the whole album flows well, there are some edits especially suited for
radio play. "Towards the Light" features all of the instruments and voice, and
is one of the best edits. "Infinity" actually has some tension in it, and will
attract DJ's that might be skittish of healing new age music. Finally, "The
Light" is a stately piece which for me is reminiscent of the pace and beauty of the
Pachelbel Canon, and will likely please a broad spectrum of listeners.
Cursor Club
P.O. Box 3327, Hollywood, CA 90078/818-762-4428
The only criticism I have of this great set of three synthesizer pieces is that it ends
just too damn soon! The three edits have similar melodic themes, but are musically
separate. The swelling electronic waves of synthesizer sound convey a sense of flying
slowly over fantastic computer-generated landscapes. I feel strangely hopeful when
listening to this music, which is brightly peaceful, emoting a sense of well-being and
spiritual health. This is a very strong second release, and is hopefully just a teaser for
a full-length CD to come. For those seeking a comparison, it is reminiscent of both some
of Global Communication's remixes and the synthesizer music of the Cue/Groove Unlimited
artists. Although musically distinct, Cursor Club convey a feeling similar to that
achieved by Patrick O'Hearn in his Ancient Dreams days. Although I am uncertain how this
EP will sell, it certainly should find an enthusiastic audience on new age/electronic
music radio programs.
Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra
8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite D-82, Los Angeles, CA 90045/310-577-1480.
Up until now, I have only had access to the music of Holger Czukay through compilations of
ambient/sombient music, such as the Brief History of Ambient series on Virgin Records.
Moving Pictures provides a fascinating sample of Czukay's unique progressive/ambient
style. Each piece has a distinct tone and mood. "Longing for Daydreams", is a
hovering, mystical piece, with U-She's vocals evoking transcendent experiences. "All
Night Long" (my personal favorite) uses footsteps as the percussive line and captures
the essence of cool. "Radio in an Hourglass", with its dark sombience, evokes
the sound of the Drones releases from Asphodel. "Dark Moon" is a chilling tune
about the human condition, an inexorible, existential, eerie piece, and another one of my
favorites! "Floatspace" and "Rhythms of a Secret Life" both have a
spooky wierdness to them, although the first has no vocals while the second does. The
signatures of Czukay's work are the slow, measured pace in the percussion line and his
low, half-sung, half-spoken vocals. This is a great release, check it out.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers, guitar, french horn, bass
Sire
75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019
Western music has recently enjoyed an infusion of exotic rhythms, instrumentation, and
voice from distant lands. Even with this flux of new and exciting sounds into our music,
this new release by singer Dadawa and composer He Xuntian stands out as a fresh and unique
release. Dadawa sings Tibetan folksongs in Chinese using a western idiom and
instrumentation. The effect is outstanding, original, and thoroughly delightful. English
translations in the liner notes provide a poetic context for this moving music sung with
great spirit and feeling. The title track is my favorite track, but don't let yourself get
stuck there; the whole album is well crafted with no weak moments. This is sure to appeal
to a broad radio audience, and if you have not had a chance to listen to it yet you should
look for an opportunity to do so soon!
ECM Records
Postfach 600 331, 81203 Munich, Germany.
Dark Wood is sadly, poignantly beautiful music. The quiet, simple adagios feature a single
cello, which creates a sparse, contemplative atmosphere. The tracks are linked to the
short story "Disturbing the Night" by Barry Lopez, which is printed on the
liner. The story, a surrealistic, existentialist tale with magical elements, is reflected
in the bittersweet, deep timbres of Darling's cello, which creates a lethargic, tragic
solitude. Dark Wood is at a melancholic extreme for new age music, but will undoubtedly
please a new-age audience. "New Morning" and "Light" are my most-liked
tracks.
Wordly Triloka
www.triloka.com 306 Catron, Sante Fe, NM 87501/505-820-2833
Krishna Das reveals his pilgrim heart in this collection of simple but superb chants.
Although the lyrics are mostly in Hindi, they are set to a meld of Eastern and Occidental
melodies, delivered with a mixture of Indian, African, and western instrumentation.
Krishna Das initiates the chants, and is supported with an answering chorus on most
tracks. The third and fourth tracks (Mountain Hare Krishna and Mahamantra Meltdown) have
the familiar Hare Krishna, but the rest of the tunes have less familiar chants, which are
all translated in the liner notes. A few are even sung in English. I listen to dark music,
and am surprised how much I enjoy this album. The music of Pilgrim Heart is a bright light
shining into the soul, sung with joyousness, celebration, and peace. Krisna Das has a
deep, sonorant voice, and the repitition in the cadence and lyrics is hypnotic,
transporting an unwitting listener such as myself into a state of uncharacteristic
optimism and happiness. "Namah Shivaya", "Govinda Hare", "Jaya
Jagatambe", and "Devi Rave" are my favorites. Dedicated nihlists,
depressives, and cynics should be careful when listening to this album, it could change
their attitude. But for those looking for a lift, its a great choice.
Instrumentation: African drums, shakers, tabla, guitar, bass, khol, dumbek, bells, keyboards, udu, cello, and others.
New Dog Records
57 Colin P. Kelly Jr. St., San Francisco, CA 94107
With its cool techno ambience, The Sirius Expeditions creates a unique distinctive sound
in a market that seems to be exploding with new releases. I liked this CD better than
Dogon's first release, Notdunjusta, which had some great moments. This new release is more
consistently interesting, and has some edits that are really wonderful. The electronic
sound of the album does not contain loops, and has a very mellow, smooth, cool sound for
today's techno. There is no harshness here, and I am reminded of some of the better
Artificial Intelligence edits of a few years ago. Many of the tracks have vocals, but they
are mostly spoken samples which create a mood but do not really convey coherent ideas. The
statements are allegorical and philosophical, and seem to tangentially give social
commentary through raising questions in the listener's mind. Most of the tracks
demonstrate a slow evolution, with subtle changes building in each song which keep
interest without losing the comfort of repetitiveness in an ambient context. The album has
10 tracks, but they seem to fit into four segments. The first 3 tracks have a very smooth
ambient techno sound and make a strong start for the album. The fourth edit, "Fat Old
Sun", is easily my favorite on the album. The strong fuzzy bass is overlaid with a
cool piano, and the only true lyrics and real singing on the album. This edit sounds like
what I would imagine pre-darkside Pink Floyd might have sounded like if they had today's
technology and Norman Greenbaum on bass instead of David Gilmore on guitar. This is a tune
you have to hear. It is connected to an edit that repeats the theme, but loses the bass
and lyrics. "Plexus" follows, and although an enjoyable Orb-like tune, strikes
me as the weakest moment on the CD. The last set of four tunes are very ambient, with a
loss of beat and a drifting, spacey feel, ending in a quiet drone piece, "The
Unknowable". This emotive, warm, and at times fanciful release is diverse and
suitable for play in a fairly wide variety of radio programming contexts. It should
establish a place for Dogon in the ambient market.
Instrumentation: synthesizers, percussion, samples, occasional guitar, bass, and Tibetan Bowls.
Orbian Music
P.O. Box 45131, Westlake, OH 44145-0131.
Paradigm Shift is the fourth release by Mark Dwane, and represents both a continuation of
the distinctive sound characteristic of his earlier works as well as an exploration of new
themes. The midi guitar is used to achieve a full-bodied electronic music with an amazing
variety of sounds. Mark has long intimated a respect and sensibility for the near mythical
wisdom of ancient earth cultures through his liner notes, song titles, and musical
composition. This sense is continued in Paradigm Shift, which has stylistic elements
similar to the music of indigenous American and Mideastern peoples, especially in the
first three tracks, "Paradigm Shift", "The Ancients", and
"Giza" which strongly reminded me of the music of Mark Petersen of Geodesium.
The "Pleadean Paradigm" starts off with a bassy, spacey intro that leads into a
classic space music piece. "Voice of the Future" is my personal favorite, and I
am sure it will please even the most discriminating of new age/electronic music listeners.
"Paragons of Light" is also excellent, being the only piece that clearly has a
guitar-based sound. Overall, Paradigm Shift is tight, internally consistent, and
well-crafted. It will serve as an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with this
talented artist, and will not disappoint those who already appreciate his work.
Thirsty Ear Recordings
274 Madison Avenue, Suite 804, New York, NY 10016/212-889-9595
Although it has some elements of his earlier music, Brian Eno's newest album The Drop
represents a fairly radical departure from what many may be expecting when they pick up an
Eno album. Drop music is a term Eno coined for what has been called "outsider
jazz". Superficially, it has a randomness and improvisational air similar to jazz,
but it really is not like any jazz that I have heard. The music is stripped-down and
minimalistically simple on most tracks, a repeating bass line that serves to establish
cool rhythms, with single-note-at-a-time melodic lines. The tunes depart from minimalism
in the long, complex melodies. They also depart from ambient music in their shortness and
in their demand to be listened to closely. Most are explorations of 2-3 minutes in length,
with a single long track (Iced World - 33 minutes). My favorite tracks are those that
depart from the sparse, cold simplicity characteristic of the album, and I suspect these
will be the most accessible to radio programmers as well; "Block Drop",
"Swanky", "Coasters" and "Dutch Blur" all have a fuller
sound, and are reminiscent of some of the pieces on Nerve Net. "Hazard" is a
darker, somber edit which I find strangely comfortable. The noise and hum in "Black
Clack" is also diverting. Eno is playing with our brains on this one, and I expect
this CD will have both avid fans and scathing critics. Only time will tell if it is to
become the defining album for a new genre of music. It is probably too difficult to ever
become widely loved, but then the world probably does not need more pablum for the masses.
Instrumentation: synthesizers.
Gyroscope/All Saints Records
Caroline Records, 104 W 29th St. New York, NY 10001.
Known for his lyrical piano-based instrumentals, Roger Eno departs radically from his past
efforts in producing Swimming, an album which features both vocals and guitar. Swimming is
simple, melodic, lyrical, and beautiful. I am very happy Roger found his voice, which is
soft, lilting, and similar in timbre to that of his brother Brian. Drawing inspiration
from music of the British Isles (three tunes are traditional), Swimming has a very
personal, almost folksy sound. Roger's voice is especially distinctive and interesting,
having a softness that matches the peace and love conveyed in the lyrics and music.
"The Whole Wide World" moves and calms me every time I hear it.
"Amukidi" is sung in some island language and has an unearthly quality.
"Hewendaway" likewise features soft-consonent-worded, layered vocals in a
capella format. Swimming is superbly crafted, a perfect album. It will likely remain my
favorite release from this multi-talented artist, and should capture a larger audience
than he has previously enjoyed.
Tone Casualties
1258 North Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038/213-463-0145
Sub Aquatic Memories is a fascinating, daring, and extremely well crafted CD. Its unusual
sonic textures transform and twist reality in a truly psychedelic way, although it is
certainly a new generation of psychedelic music. Dense, complex tracks with altered vocals
and sounds are well described by the title. Just as our eyes and senses perceive
everything differently underwater (lighting, speed of movement, color), and memories are
filtered fragments of past reality, this music is otherworldly, mysterious, and
unfamiliar, effects brought on by unconventional instrumentation, sampling, and sound
processing. The altered voices are a particularly striking signature element, and remind
me of Hal as he loses his chips in 2001. I feel as if I am listening to a soundtrack to
William S. Burroughs naked lunch years, or partaking in some drug-enhanced religious
experience. The eerie, haunting atmosphere of this industrial/ambient/sombient collage
reaches me in a visceral way, and I find my mind stimulated to new imagry every time I
listen to it. The composition is very tightly thematic, and should be listened to closely
in its entirety for best effect. However, radio programmers with little time on their
hands may want to check out the following tracks first:"Transom Wheel" with its
melancholy violin and tribal percussion, "Master Seed" with its deep sonics and
sombient feel, and "The Sleeper" with its spooky wierdness vocals. These are
only representative pieces, I find it difficult to define my favorite tracks. Every listen
is a different journey.
Cuneiform Records
P.O. Box 8427, Silver Spring, MD 20907-8427
The Blind Messenger is a brilliant, fascinating album. The music is exotic and fresh even
in a world filled with the panopoly of western and nonwestern instrumentation and musical
tradition. Instruments from around the world are combined with electronics in compositions
which represent a clear departure from the cornucopia of tribal ambient, tribal techno,
and contemporary world music. The movement and drive of Fang's music is underscored by
tension and subtlety, a casual listen is great, a close listen is captivating. I get
positively excited and enthralled when listening to "Fragments From an Unbroken
Chain". Other tracks are deeply sombient, irridescent, or shamanic, a diverse
offering of sounds woven into a magic carpet capable of taking us strange and wonderful
places. Cuneiform always promotes artists on the cutting edge of uncategorical music, and
they are the perfect outlet for this magnificent release. Although some of the later
tracks in the album are more ambient in nature (tracks 9-12), and could create a good
background atmosphere, I think the album should be turned up loud so the full sonic impact
can be felt. Don't just fill the cracks in the room, blast the cobwebs from your brain.
This is definitely my pick for the summer's releases.
Astralwerks
Caroline Records, 114 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001/212-886-7500.
Dead Cities is a futuristic, dark-edged collection of techno-ambient tracks of varying
mood. The album varies between the lush fullness of Lifeforms and the percussive stridence
of the more heavily techno Accelerator, both previous releases of FSOL. Apart from a few
vocal samples, the album is completely instrumental electronics. The music has a strong
random component, which is offset in several tracks by the repetitiousness of computer
generated percussion. The most strident track, and surprisingly one of my favorites on the
album, is "We Have Explosive", which features repeating elements reminiscent of
Aphex Twin's Ventolin. There are two other tracks I think are especially good and can
recommend for more ambient listeners: "Everyone in the World is Doing Something
Without Me" and "My Kingdom". The first has an echoing soundscape that
calls up images of a deserted city, over which an angelic chorus is laid, to produce a
very surreal effect, as if there is something beatific expressed in the ruins. The second
also has a surreal, even alien mood, although the angels do not come in until the end of
the track. "Her Face Forms in Summertime", with its languid guitar and bass, is
probably the most accessible tune for new age/space music audiences. Future Sound of
London have established themselves as one of the leaders in ambient techno music, and
although I did not find this release as evenly exciting as Lifeforms or ISDN, it will
probably both play and sell well due to the craftmanship of the tracks and the reputation
of the band.
Close Tolerance Music
In the tradition of Harold Budd and Brian Eno, Ruben Garcia creates shimmering,
nonpercussive ambient music which creates serene and peace-filled atmospheres. Piano is
Garcia's instrument of choice, and dominates most of the tracks. He effectively uses loops
and environmental sounds as well. Although the tracks are composed and primarily performed
by Garcia, he is joined by three other notable musicians which make contributions to four
of the six tracks. Harold Budd provides treatments, Scott Fraser plays guitar, and Scott
Fraser performs on the whale guitar. All compositions are wonderful, dream-like pieces,
but I have some favorites to recommend. "Eleven Moons" is my favorite piece,
with a whistling wind sample and wind chimes that for me call up images of remote
not-too-airtight housing away from the hecticness of everyday life. "Paperback
Sex" and "Room Full of Easels" both have more movement than the quieter,
slower pieces (more guitar, less piano), with the former possessing the only percussive
instruments on the album. This is a consistently strong and unified CD, and will have
broad appeal to new-age and ambient audiences.
Instrumentation: piano, guitar, samples.
Hit It! Recordings
232 East Ohio, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611/312-440-9012
For me, Global Communication is one of the defining bands for remixed electronic ambient
music. They take the music of other artists, sample it, augment it, and remix it to the
point that it bears little resemblance to the original artist or work. Remotion is a
compilation of some of their best remixes which have come out over the last 3 years.
Tracks sampling Jon Anderson, Chapterhouse, Warp 69, Reload, the Grid, and Nav Katz appear
on this album. All edits have a full, lush sound, with subtle percussion and beat,
creating excellent chill-out music for relaxing, or the perfect backdrop for work or
reading. Although derived from very different original songs, the treatments are similar,
producing a surprisingly cohesive album. My favorite songs are the two remixes from
Chapterhouse, which build slowly and beautifully in a hypnotic, minimalist fashion. Brian
Eno stated years ago that ambient music should be both interesting and ignorable, and
Remotion fits both criteria well. It is ambient in the best sense, and clearly not muzak.
For those who missed the original releases by Global Communication, here is an excellent
opportunity to sample the band.
Projekt Archive
P.O. Box 166155, Chicago, IL 60616/312-913-9160
In 1985, Jeff Greinke released an album of music inspired by, among other things, the
drone of a diesel truck on a lonesome highway and the muffled clank and noise of a distant
industrial district late at night. Cities in Fog captured the ambience of these
experiences, and was a pioneering release in what is today appropriately called sombient
music. Indeed, it was Greinke's involvement with the Throne of Drones (Sombient/Asphodel)
that reminded him of his earlier work in this idiom. He undertook to produce, 10 years
later, a second Cities in Fog release. Happily, Project has released a double CD
containing both the original Cities in Fog, and Cities in Fog 2. The music on the two
albums is very aptly named. Murky, mysterious, and haunting tracks create introspective
soundscapes. Only a few edits are tonally musical: "Metal from the Sky",
"City Light", and "Low Ceiling". Most of the music consists of long
held drones with unrecognizable, almost chime-like sounds of night-time cities.
"Melt" has a beat, giving it a musical sense even though tonal instrumentation
is not used. Despite the absence of clear tones and melodies, I find this collection of
thematic tracks enormously compelling. The mood is not dark, but lonely and sad, and not
the heartache version of these emotions, but a clean existential version. As in a lonely
walk at night, one feels the isolation of being an individual human being, a lonely but
important sensation. Even after many listens, I have yet to tire of visiting the places
Greinke has created on this excellent release and give the CD my unqualified
recommendation.
Instrumentation: Drones, samples, electronics.
Hypnos Recordings
P.O. Box 6868, Portland, OR 97228
M. Griffin uses electronic drones to create sparse, simple murky tunes, (few notes at a
time, delivered very slowly). There is no harshness, no strident edge, no percussive beat
or movement, no recognizable instruments. The brooding, sombient music is most reminiscent
of one of Tangerine Dream's earliest releases, Zeit. More recent comparisons could be made
to Robert Rich and B. Lustmord's Stalker or any of the recent Drones releases. The music
moves with the glacial speed of Eno's Neroli, although distinct, short edits are in
evidence on Sudden Dark. Thus, in many ways this CD does not demonstrate much that is new,
and explores a musical idiom pioneered by giants in electronic music composition. It lacks
the extensive sampling often associated with such music. Despite the "been there,
done that" reaction that I would expect to have if someone described the CD to me, I
am very impressed by both the freshness and power of this album. Griffin deftly shows
mastery for dark ambient droning, producing a brooding, emotive CD which pulls the
listener into its slow paced introspection. A minimalist, no frills approach to ambient
music, only two short tracks have vocalization. All else is muted electronics. A strong an
interesting release for a lesser known artist, Sudden Dark is sure to attract loyal fans
from listeners fortunate enough to hear it.
Instrumentation: Electronics, limited spoken voice.
Forest Symphony
Total Tape Services 639 Cleveland Street, Suite 320, Clearwater, FL 34615/813-446-8273
This is perfect music for a quiet evening hour in a comfortable backyard chair. For those
without an outdoor stereo system, Rain Forest Symphony will help to bring some of the
outside in. Soothing nature sounds recorded by John Grout during his visit to the Costa
Rican rain forest along with a variety of keyboard and guitar synthesizers make a relaxing
backdrop for the melodies carried by piano, cello, guitar, sax, and flute. Grout and his
collaborators convey a deep respect and reverence for rain forests in their music, and
have dedicated a portion of the proceeds from the CD towards preservation of the rain
forests of Costa Rica.
Discipline Global Mobile
Possible Productions, Magnolia Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802/310-435-5901.
Trey Gunn plays 8 and 12 string Warr Guitars on this fine, complexly crafted release. True
to the Discipline tradition, this album requires careful, disciplined listening to be be
fully appreciated. It is not background muzak. The guitar playing is very Frippish in
parts, and is reminiscent of the exact, perfectly played style of the League of Crafty
Guitarists. Syncopation is the rule, and the percussion of Bob Muller and Pat Mastellotto
is critical in defining the sound, which can vary from ambient to jazz to rock. Three
vocals by different female vocalists are on the album. Of the vocal pieces, I like the
smooth Italian voice on the title track best. The others are both forcefully delivered,
and will not fit most new age formats. "Dziban" and "Sirrah" are my
personal favorites, both having a controlled excitement that is intense and repressed at
the same time. For those looking for more ambient pieces, "Yad Al-Gawza" is a
mellow landscape quite distinct from the other tracks. My listeners liked this album
enough to call me up and tell me so. I encourage programmers to treat their audiences to
The Third Star, even though it defies categorization in any of the traditional formats
associated with contemporary instrumental/new age music.
RGB Records
One Harbor Drive #201, Sausalito, CA 94965/415-331-3200.
With the stream of tribal-techno/world-ambient releases hitting the market these days,
programmers and consumers may be feeling a little jaded about this format, and despairing
that the chances of hearing something fresh seem to be lessening. Paul Haslinger, an
erstwhile Tangerine Dream member, shatters this perception by delivering original,
cutting-edge, consistently exciting songs on World Without Rules. Drawing mostly from the
musical traditions and rhythms of India and Indonesia, Haslinger and his collaborators
(which include Mark Isham and Loren Nerell) produce driving, vibrant instrumental melodies
with spirited and often chaotic vocal chants. This release differs from many
east-meets-west world music efforts in that the instruments, rhythms, chants, and samples
are fully integrated into something far more exciting and unified than the sum of the
parts. There are many moods and textures on this album, and the diversity keeps the
listener interested. And yet the CD possesses cohesion and direction, set up in part by
the return to a melodic theme from time to time in the various tracks. I liked the entire
album, and heartily recommend multiple listens of the whole CD (otherwise you might miss
some of the surprises). "World Without Rules" and "Monkey Brain Sushi"
were particularly exciting for me, but don't take my word for it. Get a copy of this CD
and listen to it for yourself!
Black Sun
P.O. Box 30122, Tucson, AZ 85751
The Art of the Didjeridu is a compilation of previous releases primarily by David Hudson,
with 2 tracks by Steve Roach and a single track by Michael Askill. Two previously
unreleased tracks featuring both Roach and Hudson from the upcoming CD Gunyal also appear
on the album. This album chronicles the collaboration of Roach and Hudson, who met in 1987
around the time of the production of Dreamtime Return, which features Hudson as a guest
artist. Steve subsequently produced Hudson's solo didjeridu albums Woolunda and Rainbow
Serpent in the Timeroom, his studio in Arizona. The breadth of sound created through use
of the didjeridu by these musicians is truly amazing. Hudson frequently plays an intense,
fast-paced didjeridu, creating a vibrant wall of sound with the instrument. An Australian
aboriginal, David captures the soul of the didjeridu - evoking the animals (frog, dingo,
kangeroo), the Australian landscape, and the reverence for the earth inherent in
aboriginal culture. His too cavernous pieces, "Air Cave" and "Undara's Lava
Tube" are his most ambient pieces with the latter being especially good. Steve's
contributions have his characteristic mix of electronics and didjeridu. Askill's piece is
mysterious and windy, a very different and intriguing addition to the CD. This release is
an excellent introduction to contemporary and traditional didjeridu by three masters. The
releases most mesmerizing to me were "Bali Doo", "Undara's Lava Tube",
"Origin", "Free Radicals", and "Split Rock".
Instrumentation: didjeridu, occasional obscure percussive intruments, occasional synthesizers, very limited vocalization.
Instinct Ambient/Instinct Records
26 West 17th St. #502, New York, NY 10011/212-727-1360
Making several appearances on compilations from Instinct, Tetsu Inoue has finally released
his first full length album on Instinct Ambient. World Receiver contains music filled with
space and quietude. Samples of bird calls mix with distant voices, both being masked by
static and the sounds of space, as if a probe from another star system were in orbit about
earth, acoustically sampling the sounds of our world. World Receiver is strangely calming
and peaceful, conveying the immensity of the night sky above us. This music is neither
dark nor light, although it certainly has the chill of outer space. Space and atmospheric
music programmers will not want to pass this one up, although it is likely inappropriate
for strictly new age/world programs. My favorite edit is the first cut, "Inter
Link".
Broad Vista Music
In his first release, Biff Johnson borrows heavily from the recent ethnic-ambient music of
Steve Roach and Roach's sometime collaborator, Vidna Obmana. Most of the songs on Reading
the Bones have the rain sticks, clay and stone percussion, and rattles that have become
associated with Roach's Time Room, the studio where the final mix of this CD was produced.
The swelling electronics and drones, often set in a western paradigm, further cement the
comparison with Roach. Although these similarities will undoubtedly diminish Johnson's
ability to capture a separate audience and reputation with this album, Reading the Bones
in a very effective release for those who enjoy this type of ambient music. The music is
smooth and gentle, and departs from Roach's sound in "Myth Continuity" and
"Native Space", both of which are more melodic pieces. My favorite tune on the
album is "Bleached White", which floats strangely, possessing just enough
wierdness to set it apart from the rest of the CD and from the more shamanic music of his
colleagues. Reading the Bones represents a promising start for this California musician,
and should appeal to fans of western ambient music.
Instrumentation: Electronics, rainsticks, rattles, clay and stone percussion, folk flutes.
Horizon Music
P.O. Box 505, Glasco, New York 12432/914-246-1014
Steve Jolliffe has been an important force in electronic music for many years. Omni is my
favorite among his recent releases. With only three long edits, the CD acieves a breadth
of musical moods. The album is strongly reminiscent of Tangerine Dream, Ron Boots, Jarre,
and other electronic artists composing in the European school of synthesizer music. The
distinctive synthesized percussion of those artists is strongly and adeptly utilized in
Jolliffe's music. Although at times ambient, for the most part Omni maintains a fairly
high state of energy. Like Zanzi, there is a strong minimalist component to Omni,
especially evidenced in "Immerse". "Enter" is my favorite edit, but I
enjoy all three. Although the edits are long, this album is excellent for late night
atmospheric electronic radio, and will hopefully find the audience awaiting it.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers
Horizon Music
P.O. Box 505, Glasco, NY 12432/914-246-1014
Zanzi is a strongly minimalistic electro-acoustic release. The majority of tracks are
united by a rapid cycling, repetitious, generally high pitched electronic pulse which
creates the minimalistic signature. The music vibrates with an intense, controlled energy.
Jolliffe creates a counterpoint between the highly ordered and structured components of
his music and an elemental randomness created by the entry and departure of specific
repeating elements. The stochastic nature of the entire work is revealed through
Jolliffe's admission in the liner notes: "It happened one day through chance."
Although 10 tracks are on the album, they form a continuum with reductions in energy but
no silences between tracks. Track 10 is the only piece which departs from the restrained
feel of the album and swells into a full, expansive synthesizer piece. Zanzi has a flavor
distinct from the minimalistic works of Glass, Reich, Riley, and Fripp, and yet will
please fans of these composers as well as lovers of electronic music.
Hearts of Space
P.O. Box 31321, San Francisco, CA 94131
Black Marble & Secret Fire draws inspiration from the life of the last of the Moghul
emperors, Bahadur Shah II, an emperor who lost his empire and spent his final years as a
poet in exile. Gromer Khan's superb sitar is perfectly augmented by the keyboards and
electronics of Taschner, creating a work of haunting beauty. Exotic percussion, including
North African Drums, Mideastern Drums, and tabla, add mystery and tension to the pieces,
and convey the sense of opulence, mystical refinement, and intrigue that surrounded the
court of the Moghuls. This album is crafted with care and subtlety, with surprises even in
the last track, when the voice of Lisa Huber takes us far from the western world in which
we live. Although all tracks are strong, the title cut and "Ghazal de Savoy" are
the ones I would recommend for initial radio play.
Zebra Music
601 Van Ness Avenue, Opera Plaza, Suite E3-230, San Francisco, CA 94102
Kevin Keller uses synthesizers, cello, and piano to create an original ambient music on
Intermezzo. From melancholy cello adagios to faster paced synthesizer pieces, the music
perfectly mixes the styling of western classical music with the modern instrumentation of
ambient space music. At times Intermezzo is reminiscent of the more orchestrated pieces of
Ray Lynch, although in my opinion Intermezzo defines its own style and improves upon
Lynch's orchestral efforts. The album flows well and is consistently interesting and
beautiful. This release is more cohesive than Keller's last release, Mask of Memory, and
will please both ambient and new age audiences if they get a chance to hear it. I liked
all of the tracks, but would especially recommend "The Black Cottage",
"Unharvested II", and "Blood of the Raven".
Apollon
23852 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 2C, Malibu, CA 90265
Osamu Kitajima joins talents with Christopher Mancinelli to produce Beyond the Circle, a
tribal ambient CD with heavy Japanese influence. The album is predominantly synthesizer
music with strong percussion. A number of guest musicians appear on the CD, providing both
Japanese and English vocals as well as guitar and Japanese instrumentation. The music
varies between smooth jazz, tribal dance, and tribal ambient rhythms. Some of the tribal
vocals are clipped and repeated through the method of sampling employed, creating an
effect very reminiscent of vocals on the first Deep Forest release. For me the most
interesting effects are achieved on "Mind Thieves" and "Blue Fire"
when female vocalists sing contrasting melodies in different languages. The English vocals
are low, soft, and sensual, while the Japanese vocals are high pitched and full of energy.
This album will appeal to programmers looking for a mix of synthesizer-based smooth-jazz
and world ambient.
Reach Out International Records (ROIR)
611 Broadway, Suite 411, New York, NY 10012/212-477-0563
Of all the ambient dub bands I have heard, I like Bill Laswell's dub the best. Laswell is
not a stranger to dub, having explored it on some of his Divination releases. Sacred
System demonstrates the creativity and musical sense of a musician that leads rather than
follows. The hypnotic reggae beat in the 5 trance dub edits on this album has a steady
drive and movement absent in other forms of ambient music. Anton Fier joined Laswell in
the studio, although with the multilayering of sounds on the album it is hard to identify
the progenitor of any sound beside the bass, Laswell's instrument. "Cyborg
Assault" has probably the most drive, and is one of my favorites on the album.
"Dread Iternal" and "Sub Terrain" are also excellent for radio play.
Visuell Musikk
PB 6820 Elgeseter, N-7002 Trondheim, Norway/eirikli@notam.uio.no
Eirik Lie compiles twelve tracks composed for various installations, performances, and
puppet theatre productions into the appropriately titled 12 Bilder (12 pictures). although
the album was by its nature not assembled with a single concept or even from a single
time, the individual pieces fit well together and the album has the consistency that makes
for enjoyable listening as well as the diversity required to maintain interest. Lie uses
keyboards, samplers, synthesizers, and electric guitar to create dark-edged, often
melancholy vingettes, Most of the compositions lack clear melody, but create atmospheres
that convey a sense of private reflection, isolation, and loneliness. My recommended edits
include "112 Par Sko", "Siden Tidenes Morgen", and
"Dystopia", which are the darker, more expansive, drone-based pieces. I also
find "Istapper" and "Ravner" particularly evocative. 12 Bilder is
distinctive and compelling, and if given sufficient radio exposure should find an
enthusiastic audience.
Fathom/Hearts of Space
P.O. Box 31321, San Francisco, CA 94131
This work is named for the 17th century tome written by the mad Jesuit scholar Athanasius
Kircher. Kircher is known for his interest and contributions in geological, archeological,
and occult sciences, as well as his extensive collection of curios. Whereas Lightwave's
first release conveyed the sadness and immensity of space, Mundus Subterraneus calls to
mind the realm of the netherworld to which Kircher was drawn, being darker and more
"curious" than Tycho Brahe. Lightwave creates a dark ambient soundscape that is
deep, sad and touched with madness. The violin contributions of Jacques Der‚gnaucourt
gives this primarily electronic work a distinctive texture, and the increased use of
musique concrete elements enhances but does not dominate the sound. I found this CD very
compelling, the percussionless slow movement of the pieces pulling me into my own private
underworld. I highly recommend it to all who like to dip into the darker side of ambient
electronic music.
Relapse Records
P.O. Box 251, Millersville, PA 17551/717-397-9221
Lull is another manifestation of the dark ambient musings of Mick Harris, who has been in
the groups Scorn, Napalm Death, and Painkiller, and collaborated with Bill Laswell, James
Plotkin, and others. Continue consists of a single 62 minute track of cavernous electronic
gloom. It reminds me strongly of Stalker by Robert Rich and Brian Lustmord, or the Drones
compilations from Asphodel. For me, Continue evokes images of underground mazes filled
with machines which retain their cold sentience and function long after their creators
have disappeared. It conveys the endpoint of industrialized civilization, the breakdown
and decay of a society that reached too far. Echoing drones, electronic noise, and
unrecognizable samples create a wall of sound which throbs but lacks beat or direction.
This is an excellent album for late night solitary listening, particularly for those
dwelling in basements or windowless apartments, but will likely find difficulty in
obtaining radio airplay. I like it very much, and recommend it for both radio programmers
and darkwave audiophiles.
Instrumentation: Electronics, samplers.
Silent Records
340 Bryant St. 3rd Floor East, San Francisco, CA 94107/415-957-1320.
Rhasa Bhava is one of the best recent releases of tribal dub and bass. Makyo create an
exotic, compelling sound using Indian chanting and instrumentation (sitar, tabla, gongs,
etc.). Their sound is full and complex, and reminiscent of Material's Hallucination Engine
and Paul Haslinger's World Without Rules. Indeed, Bill Laswell contributed a remixed track
of "Devabandha" with samples from Material's classic "Mantra". Tracks
with a prominant beat include "Dakini", "Salasvati",
"Devabandha", and "Tarab". Other tracks are more ambient with drum
and/or bass coming in only very late in the song. "A Piece of Forgotten Song Drifting
Across the Water" is mantric, bringing a sense of peace and balance to the careful
listener. The entire CD is wonderful, but I especially enjoy "Dakini",
"Devabandha" and "Tarab". Masterfully crafted and already critically
acclaimed, I would expect Rasa Bhava to please adventurous listeners fortunate enough to
hear it.
Mirage/Oasis Productions
76 Cadorna Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4J 3X1/416-467-8820
oasispro@ican.net/www.synapse.ca/oasis
Self described as tribal-groove dreamscapes, Imaginarium is a compelling collection of
electroacoustic wizardry. Guest artist Steve Roach co-produced the album, and the music
bears his hallmark percussion and didjeridu on the first three tracks. From there, the
journey takes a different direction, with a sharper musical edge provided by Chris Short's
guitar and brighter percussion from Paul Vnuk and Vir Unis. The tribal groove is lost on
"Spiritual Diving" and "Incomprehensible Love", the most fully ambient
songs on the CD, but is strongly expressed in the final tune, with a signature groove
track by Roach and the magical processed guitar of Short. This album is superbly crafted,
with contributions by some very talented musicians. It has the brilliance of experienced
musicians and composers without slipping into the tasteless unimaginative formula music
observed among successful artists that have run out of ideas. "Firewalkers" is
likely my favorite tune, but the album has many great moments. This should be an easy pick
for ambient radio programmers and retailers.
Instrumentation: Guitar, E-bow, synthesizers, loops, fretless bass, didjeridu, slide flutes, recorders, and a variety of percussive elements and treatments.
Spotted Peccary Music
P.O. Box 2029, Encinitas, CA 92023-0930
Under the Moon is another fine release from Spotted Peccary Music, and those that enjoyed
Brain Laughter II and Jon Jenkins and Paul Lackey in Continuum will want to give this
album a listen. Deborah Martin and several talented musicians (including Jenkins and
Lackey) produce introspective, mostly percussionless pieces which are synthesizer and
guitar dominated. The music has a night theme, and evokes images of the interplay of moon
and clouds through the course of a single night. My favorite edit on the CD was "Gray
Sky", a mysterious, haunting song with both spoken Apache and an English translation
sung by Deborah Martin herself. This CD will please both the casual and deep listener.
Infinite Monkey Productions
2509 S. Lombard Ave., Cicero, IL 60650-3008/708-780-8945
Masquerade is the impressive debut release of David Matuch. Relying on the Kurzwiel K-2000
sampler to interweave sample loops of a variety of found sounds, David provides five
compelling pieces evoking a variety of moods. Distant bells, insects, and long slow notes
in a swelling melody start the album off. On the way to the final cut one hears sitar
(actually a Buchla Thunder), tabla, violins, wind, gamelan, and electronic drones mixed in
a consistently interesting and pleasing way. The work is not as minimalistically
repetitious as many recent works by ambient artists, all pieces having clearly
recognizable melody and movement. Masquerade will make a good addition to any ambient
music library.
Atmospheric Records
20 Sunnyside Avenue, Suite A 197, Mill Valley, CA 94941/415-380-9997.
Haunting and unnerving as the persistent memory of a poignant dream, Roma delivers a
unique and fascinating set of pieces inspired by the dreams and nightmares of its creator,
Patrick Mimran. Using Le Bart synthesizer, which he designed, Mimran creates vital,
exciting music with strong muiscal ties to classical music. The tracks were inspired by
Mimran's dreams, and are combined with liner notes of other people's dream that
psychoanalyst Dr. Robert Akeret assembled upon hearing the score. Using minor keys, many
of the pieces are dark-textured, ranging from melancholy to downright scary. Others are
more positive, and present a grandness uncommon in electronic music. Consistently
interesting, all tracks are great, but I have a special liking for "March 27th"
and "June 23rd". This album is difficult to categorize, which is probably one
reason I like it so well. Don't pass up the opportunity to give it a good listen.
Instrumentation: Le Bart synthesizer and samples. Vocals on first track.
Projekt/Relic
Box 166155, Chicago, IL 60616/312-491-0104
Twilight of Perception is a retrospective of unreleased works and compilation singles
composed by Vidna Obmana during the years 1990-1995. This collection is unified by the
gentle, serene atmosphere created by electronic washes and slowly evolving loop
assemblages characteristic of both his solo work and collaborations with Steve Roach.
However, there is a considerable diversity of sounds, reflecting the evolution of sound in
Obmana's work over the past few years. A number of the tracks, such as "Over the Blue
Mountains", "Twilight Came", and "Torch of Remembrance", have the
purely electronic sound created by looped samples and electronics evident in his previous
release on Relic - The Trilogy. Other pieces, such as "Traditional Spirit",
"Sanctuary of Reply" and "Charm Mystique" reflect the influence of the
collaborations with Steve Roach, having rainsticks, shells, ocarinas, and other soft
ethnic percussion. My favorite piece on the album is "Primary", which moves from
an electronic wash into progressively more percussive and resonant metallic sounds, yet
maintains its slow paced, shamanistic mystery and grace. The ethos of this album is very
environmental, conveying a sense of open spaces in some pieces, sheltered habitats in
others. It longs for a world in which mankind is in harmony with nature rather than
seeking to exert mastery over it. Twilight of Perception is a beautiful serene release,
and should play well on radio and sell well in the new age/ambient market.
Instrumentation: Electronics, loops, ethnic percussion.
Island Records
825 Eighth Ave., New York, NY 10019
Orb has again produced a complex, well crafted album consisting of a collage of intriguing
samples and electronic wizardry. Orblivion is similar to their recent release Orbus
Terrarum, although it has continuity with some of their earlier releases as well. Of the
DJ techno-ambient bands, Orb is one of the best known and liked, and deservedly so.
Orblivion has the lightness of spirit and subtle humor that characterizes much of Orb's
music. This music is meant to be fun as well as interesting. Although a dub and base
influence is evident, I would not consider this a dub and base release. It has a more
futuristic feel, achieved through the use of high pitched computer noises in some of the
tracks. Most tracks have a strong beat generated by long repeating electronic segments
which are more or less percussive. Shorter samples are layered on top of the percussive
line, and the melody and sound of each piece varies as these riffs fade in and fade out.
The percussive lines also change, such that many of the tracks explore a variety of sonic
textures. My favorite track is "S.A.L.T.", which contains an entertaining sermon
sample exploring the connection between bar-codes and the mark of the beast. I also
especially enjoy "Secrets" and "Bedouin". This album will attract new
fans and please old ones. It should play and sell well.
Hypnos Recordings
P.O. Box 6868, Portland, OR 97228
Jeff Pearce produces a deeply evocative, rich ambient soundscape in Vestiges, a wonderful
follow-up to his last solo album, The Hidden Rift. In both releases, Pearce uses processed
guitar to produce a very un-guitar like sound. The notes are sustained and overlapping,
harmonic, and simple. The effect is to produce music reminiscent of some of Steve Roach's
electronic keyboard music prior to his exploration of ethnic instrumentation and motifs.
Pearce's compositions are distinctive, however, because of the mellowness of the lush
electronics and absence of any percussive line or rapid-paced repeating segments. Vestiges
is a bit more ambient than The Hidden Rift only in that it contains only one track with
recognizable guitar (The Outer Circle), whereas the earlier album had two such tracks. The
music is deeply peaceful and calming, with the same feel as watching drifting clouds over
a wilderness landscape, or floating leaves on a slow-flowing stream. Although excellent as
an ambient atmosphere, the music is worthy of close, concentrated listening. With
attention, the music awakens one to a heightened contemplative and relaxed state (not
relaxed state as in dozing, which happens when musicians confuse relaxing with boring).
Vestiges is as delightful and rewarding as The Hidden Rift, an album to which I still
return often. Radio programmers and retailers searching for great ambient electronics
should seek out this exquisite release.
Instrumentation: electronically processed guitars.
Shiro Records
8228 Sunset Blvd, 1st Floor, Los Angelos, CA 90046.
Ecstasy in Avila is an excellent addition to the growing catalogue of tribal techno music.
Quinn samples songs of Africa and the Mideast, and mixes them with electronic
instrumentation and drum machines to produce music reminiscent of that of Loop Guru and
Deep Forest. Cynthia Biamon and Zahra contribute their voice talents in the few songs that
have English lyrics ("In a Perfect World", "In Reverie", "The
Prophecy", "These Four Walls", and "All Alone"). Quinn provides
distinctive vocals in "Siochain Agus Ionannas" and "Autonomous". These
songs have religious and societal import, and consequently remind me of some of the work
of Enigma. I personally prefer those tracks that rely solely on world vocals, and
particularly recommend "Ecstasy in Avila", "The Crown of Life", and
"Lotus".
Release
P.O. Box 251, Millersville, PA 17551/717-397-9221
The break up of highly creative groups such as the experimental ambient band Zoviet France
is sad but not unexpected. ZF Cofounder Dan Ponten went to Horizon 222. Mark Spybey left
ZF to join Download, and has now formed his own band, Dead Voices On Air. Cofounder Robin
Story, free from the constraints of being in Zoviet France since 1992, has released his
seventh solo effort as Rapoon. For Zoviet France and Rapoon fans, this album will be
enthusiastically received. Selected pieces have the minimal repetitive nature and obscure
instrumentation of Zoviet France, along with the brooding sombient textures and
impenetrable wall of sound. However, some of the edits are definitely departures from what
has gone before. I found this album more emotive and accessible. The sense of loss
conveyed in "Groundswell" is exquisitely expressed, and one of my favorite
tracks. "Looking...Not Finding" is quiet, haunting, emotionally complex and
ambiguous, combining religious peace with despairing loneliness. The unearthly voice in
"Cires Divam" is perfectly matched to the repetitive, sparse ambient backdrop.
The most melodic track, "A Softer Light", reminds me in a good way of some of
Jeff Pearce's guitar work, while "Still, So Still" is reminiscent of the most
ambient material of Severed Heads. "Snake of Earth" has the machine-like hum and
pulse of the best industrial ambient soundscapes. This is a brilliant, shimmering work,
with just the right combination of diversity (to keep it interesting) and thematic
cohesiveness (to make it listenable). I highly recommend it to adventurous radio
programmers and retailers. For the niche market that enjoys experimental, shamanistic,
ambient-industrial music, this will be a requisite acquisition.
Instrumentation: keyboards, tabla, miscellaneous noise and music devices.
Asphodel
P.O. Box 51, Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113/212-886-7500
Chasm's Accord is a retrospective of the industrial ambient group of artists known as
Rhythm & Noise. Preceding Throbbing Gristle, Rhythm & Noise produced pioneering
electronic noise, sound collages, and nightmarish atmospheres in the near anonymity of the
avant-garde underground. Perhaps it is the surprising success of the Drones trilogy on
Sombient/Asphodel, which was curated by Naut humon of R&N, that has enticed Asphodel
into producing this rather risky release. Whatever the reasons for its emergence, Chasm's
accord provides an excellent opportunity for those of us who were not in the industrial
underground in the 70's and 80's to experience the unique soundscapes of this obscure
band. although some of the tracks call up visions of a fun night with a sledgehammer in a
warehouse filled with glass and sheet metal ("Do you really like this?" my
colleagues ask in wonder; to which I answer "Yes, I do."), many of the tracks
are more lyrical. "Lingering Fingers" and "Filament in Strata" are
both good ambient electronic numbers. "Current Slaughter" has an early
Negativland feel, and "Alizarin K" could easily have fit into the Drones
compilations if there had been room. My favorite edits are "Schismatic" and
"Remembrance", which feature some of the rare vocal tracks on the album.
Although not for the unadventurous, Chasm's Accord will delight those who are stimulated
by the spooky weirdness of early industrial music.
Fathom/Hearts of Space
One Harbor Drive, Suite 201, Sausalito, CA 94965/415-331-3200.
A Troubled Resting Place creates a slightly disquieting aural landscape filled with
mystery and suspense. The multitude of diverse and at times unfamiliar sounds in these
tracks are like alien life-forms on a dark planet, which can be heard in the distance but
seen only dimly, if at all. The six edits on this album are all previously released
singles which appeared on various compilations, including the two Drones releases from
Sombient. They have the dark texture of Stalker, the last release by Robert Rich and Brian
Lustmord on Fathom, and come from the same creative period. Rich uses a background of
synths and samplers to create the calm, while gongs, bells, shakers, and exotic
instruments convey the tension and mystery. The tracks flow seemlessly together, as if
they were woven from a single cloth, and create a strange sense of melancholy and
resignation if listened to deeply. I like the entire CD, and highly recommend that
electronic and space music programmers give their listeners a chance to hear all the
tracks. This is sure to become an ambient favorite.
Hearts of Space
P.O. Box 31321, San Francisco, CA 94131/415-331-3200
www.hos.com (R. Rich - www.amoeba.com)
Thoroughly otherworldly and mysterious, Seven Veils represents another stunning and
original release by Robert Rich. Although he has produced several other eastern influenced
albums (such as Yearning and Propagation), Seven Veils has a different ambience from
anything he has done previously. He achieves a Middle Eastern sound and rhythm using
unconventional harmonies. Most of the CD is in just intonation, a means of tuning
instruments to enhance the natural harmonics, as well as produce many more notes than are
in the western 12 note octave. The instruments are primarily western (what could be more
western than the lap steel guitar or PVC flute?), and some impressive guests contribute,
including David Torn (guitar), Hans Christian (cello), and Forrest Fang (violin). The
signature flutes and synthesizers of Rich are melded perfectly with the percussive
elements, guitar, and strings. Seven Veils is warmly seductive and sensuous, with a
steamy, slow, and controlled passion. Robert Rich demonstrates a rare musical maturity and
virtuosity, an uncompromising artist who refuses to relax into formula music. This
brilliant release should please his fans as well as attract novice listeners.
Instrumentation: Synthesizers, bamboo and PVC flutes, drums and percussion, lap steel guitar, guitar, bass, cello, violin, Balkan kaval, waterphone, glurp, dulcimer, rubberband marimba.
Fathom
P.O. Box 31321, San Francisco, CA 94131
Robert Rich has long been a leader at creating well-crafted, haunting soundscapes with a
combination of acoustics, electronics, and sampled sounds. This collaboration with B.
Lustmord (Brian Williams), a pioneer industrial music artist (ex-member SPK, sound
designer for Chris & Cosey and Throbbing Gristle), may become one of the defining
albums of the dark ambient genre. Stalker takes us on a surreal journey through a bleak
future world. Slowly swelling, rising and falling waves of sound fall on our ears like
waves on an alien shore. The album flows seemlessly through an eerie world of lost beauty
and environmental decay. Several of the tracks have a distinctly subterranean sound, and
call to mind images of dripping caverns and mines. Mysterious samples of unknown source
enhance the ambiguity of the music, and heighten its power to draw the listener into Rich
and Lustmord's netherworld. Stalker is consistently strong, haunting, and compelling, an
excellent aural experience.
Fathom
One Harbor Drive #201, Sausalito, CA 94965/415-331-3200.
Halcyon Days is an amazing amalgam of electronics, drones, and non-European
instrumentation assembled seemlessly by Steve Roach and Trance Mission members Stephen
Kent and Kenneth Newby. Roach's soundscapes provide a perfect texture for the overlay of
music of indigenous peoples, as was demonstrated in his collaboration with Stearns and
Sunsinger last year on Kiva. In Halcyon Days, Newby brings his knowledge of the
instruments and musical traditions of Indonesia, Kent demonstrates his mastery of the
digeridoo, and Roach provides the landscape in which the drama takes place. The music is
pregnant with the mystery of existence, and conveys a sense of the earth as both mother
and destroyer. Rather than the sense of solitude which pervades much of the solo work of
Roach, Kent and Newby create a sense of community - of a small group of people living
close to the land with both reverence and fear. "Halcyon Days", "First
Day", and "Riding the Atlas" are especially primal and social, with heavy
percussion and digeridoo. "Slow Walk at Stone Wash" and "Calyx
Revelation" crackle with the heat of the desert and impart the feeling of open
spaces. Although the album is dedicated to the halcyon days of winter (when the album was
actually recorded), days of peace, creativity, and prosperity, the music frames those days
with allusions to the sinister and hostile world. I highly recommend a close listen for
this mystery-filled release.
Fathom
P.O. Box 31321, San Francisco, CA 94131
Steve Roach is one of the definitive new age artists of this decade, having been the
architect of numerous expansive pieces which for me represent the essence of the music
referred to as ambient landscapes. The Magnificent Void forms a bridge between his recent
explorations of tribal/techno rhythms and instrumentation to a space music that is
original and engrossing. For example, digeridoo is played on the album, but is played in
such a way that it does not sound like any instrument with which I am familiar. The music
creates a landscape that lacks a geographic reference, a place which is mysterious and
unknown yet strangely familiar. The Magnificent Void is that place of emptiness which we
approach with fascination and fear. The music transports us to a void where destruction
and creation are simultaneous, where the cosmos collapse, where death will eventually take
us all. Many of the tracks are spatious and wash over the listener like waves on a forever
twilight shore. Others, such as "Cloud of Unknowing" and "The Magnificent
Void" convey the grandeur and chaos of cosmic creation. This is a wonderful release,
and should make new fans for this talented artist.
Projekt
Box 166155, Chicago, IL 60616/312-491-0104
With the sheer volume of music that these two musicians, particularly Roach, have produced
in the past decade, it starts to become daunting to evaluate new works. Cavern of Sirens
has a definite continuity with both the solo and past collaborative efforts of Steve Roach
and Vidna Obmana. This release is more percussive and shamanic than Well of Souls, having
various definable and less definable ethnic percussive elements. The drones, while there,
are less dominant, and the voice and chant samples on the first two tracks are a definite
departure from their past cooperative work. The five pieces on the album create very
different atmospheres, from mystical shamanism to tribal trance to peaceful still spaces.
The album reminds me most of the solo works both placed on the Amplexus compilation from
Projekt. These two sound wizards are a perfect compliment for each other, and we are
fortunate that they have been sharing their muses with one another recently. Their music
is clearly at the cutting edge of tribal/ambient offerings.
Instrumentation: ethnic percussion, drones, electronics, samples
Projekt
Box 1591, Garden Grove, CA 92642-1591.
The Well of Souls is a moving mix of somber electronics, eclectic acoustic
instrumentation, and subtle sampled sounds. The 2CD release serves as a map to a highly
personal world in the imaginations of the artists, a place of mystery and soul searching,
the Well of Souls. The album is an extension of Roach's exploration of the use of
synthesizers with instruments of indigenous peoples, represented by such releases as Kiva,
Earth Island, Forgotten Gods, Artifacts, and Origins. The novelty in this production lies
in the juxtaposition of the primitive and arid wilderness themes which serve as
inspiration for these earlier works with the European flavor and spirit of Belgian artist
Vidna Obmana. The evident tension between the textural elements in the music create an
exotic world of contrast and shadow, the darkness of the pieces evoking surreal images
half submerged in the consciousness of the listener. The deep feeling and sense of place
with which this music has been embued places it among the finest ambient releases of 1995.
Draw from The Well of Souls, and find the key to unlock your own subconscious netherworld!
Traumton Records
Wuerzburger Strasse 4, D-10789, Berlin, Germany.
Music for Fish is a compilation of works created by Rodach over a period of ten years for
various productions, films, and musings. The eighteen tracks on the CD represent a wide
diversity of instrumentation and styles. Piano, strings, guitars, wind instruments, and
undefined plucked and hammered percussive devices (or their synthesized equivalents, I
could not tell) all make their appearance in various pieces. Music for Fish does not have
the full sound I associate with most new age/ambient works, and indeed it is difficult to
find analogs for this music in these genres. Although diverse, the album is pervaded by a
wistful, sweetly sad mood, and brings to mind remembrances of lost loves and lost
opportunities. The compositions are image based for Rodach, who states that many of these
works are a soundtrack for his own personal experiences. Edits evoking images of sidewalk
cafes, circuses, smokey bars, mosques, and dark stormy nights are mixed with tracks of
less definable imagery. It is indeed a strange aural journey, and one I recommend as worth
taking.
Spotted Peccary Music
P.O. Box 23029, Encinitas, CA 92023
Painting Twilight is a notable departure from both Rownd's earlier work and the sound I
have come to associate with the Spotted Peccary label. Rownd created complex, polyrhythmic
compositions on his last CD, Desert Waves, a fascinating but somewhat difficult release.
Painting Twilight is slower, less polyrhythmic, and more accessible. The desert percussion
(taos drums, shakers, rattles, gourds) together with the swelling and sustained
electronics creates a sound so similar to the recent work of Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana
that it would probably take a musicologist to tell them apart (check out "Earthbody
Spiritbody" or "Eyes of Azure"). However, to his credit Mark has
effectively coopted the desert imagery and instrumentation to compose music that rivals
that of these better known artists, adding compelling, deeply felt music to this subgenre
of ambient music. The inspiration for the music appears to originate from both desert
landscapes and contemplative religious faith, the former being a connection between this
release an Mark's earlier CD. The tracks are variable. The piano of "Eyes of
Azure" and "A Moment Alone" is reminiscent of Tim Story. "Through the
Valley of Shadow" is somber and sinister. Many tracks are percussionless. My favorite
pieces are "Place of Grace" and "Before There Was Rain." Painting
Twilight does not break new ground, but does have variety, cohesiveness, and a calm beauty
that should please many listeners.
Instrumentation: keyboards, digital samplers, taos drums, slit drum, shakers, rattles, cabasa.
Perfect Pitch Music Marketing
704 Gilman St., Berkeley, CA 94710.
Invisible Rhythm is a magical, hypnotic album, which transports the listener to a primal
world of mystery and sensuality. Crystal Michelle Rayburn and Barry Stramp use drones,
synthesizers, and flutes in an East Indian idiom to create music vibrant with power. The
work strongly reminds me of the similar eastern-based world music of Robert Rich, Al
Gromer Khan, and Bill Laswell (the last actually contributing to this release), and in my
opinion rivals the best of their work. All tracks are wonderful, but I find the title
track particularly mesmerizing. This will likely be one of my picks for best new
age/ambient/world music CD of 1996. If you have not yet listened to Invisible Rhythm, try
to find the opportunity soon!
Miramar
200 Second Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119
In Ixlandia, John Serrie creates a soothing, contemplative atmosphere. The title track
starts the CD off with a mellow, romantic, cool jazz feel. Although primarily electronicly
produced, the first part of the album has a decidedly acoustic feel, especially the tracks
featuring the saxophone and guitar of Steven Charles and Chris Kenny, respectively. The
later tracks change mood slightly, being less romantic and relying a little more on slowly
pulsing waves of sound. It is one of these later tracks, "Starport Indra", that
I found particularly appealing. Although not on the cutting edge of the genre, this album
should find an enthusiastic following among fans of new age and contemporary instrumental
based music.
Instinct Ambient
26 W 17th Street #502, New York, NY 10011/212-727-1360.
SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), with their second album on the Instinct
Ambient label, continue their exploration of space ambient music. Like the search for
radio intelligence, the music on this album has a lot of noise and random transmissions
from which the signal emerges and then is lost again. Unlike Pharos, which included
samples provided by the SETI Institute, and reflected the current search of the radio
skies for extra-terrestrial signals, Ciphers explores the past, specifically the
unexplained mythologies in our past that have by some been attributed to extra-terrestrial
visitations. The music has very few samples, being primarily synthesizer generated sound.
Many of the tracks are more techno than Pharos, with computer percussion similar to that
found in releases by Aphex Twin and FSOL. "Fragment.04" is especially effective
in calling up images of ancient mythological events connected to space visitors. However,
my favorite track is "Fragment.05", with its cool slow ambience. Space music
enthusiasts and ambient/techno audiences will both be intrigued by this consistently
interesting release.
Instinct Records
26 W. 17th St. #502, New York, NY 10011/212-727-1360
Adham Shaikh and Tim Floyd travelled throughout the Pacific Northwest, searching out the
sounds of the area and compiling the sound library that they subsequently used to record
Drift, which was put together in the months that followed in a small log cabin loaned by a
friend. the album is incredible, and is easily my favorite release from the Instinct
Ambient label this year. Tim Floyd's improvisational guitar hovers, glistens, and
shimmers, creating an aural atmosphere remarkably peaceful and contemplative. The samples
are masterfully mixed in, and differ from new age releases in that they do not consist
solely of nature sounds, but include other less defineable sounds. Although one of the
pieces has percussive drive and movement ("Snakedance"), most of the tracks
drift peacefully free of percussion. Shaikh and Floyd deeply experienced the Pacific
Northwest. The essence of the mountains, forests, lakes and streams of the area as well as
the ambience of the culture and ecosensitivity of the people that live there comes through
clearly. The music called up long dormant memories of my youth, which was spent in the
region. Although an ambient CD that will will appeal to fans of electronic ambient and
space music, Drift is in an unexpected way a core new age release, capturing the magic,
mysticism, and spirituality associated with a natural space. I like all tracks well, but
find the last edit especially emotive and compelling. "North Twin" combines
fragments of a happy time with friends with a deep melancholy air, which for me conveys
the bitter-sweet nature of good memories, that though pleasant to recall are based on
moments and situations that are forever gone. Don't pass up the chance to listen to this
wonderful album.
Quantum Records
Searching for the Arms of Venus is a compelling, exciting release filled with electronic
music strongly reminiscent of the best early material of Jean- Michel Jarre, with apparent
influence from middle period Tangerine Dream. Using Roland and Yamaha synthesizers, Eric
Snelders creates brilliant, original compositions with the driving force and power I
associate with my favorite Jarre tunes, and I am happy to see someone exploring an idiom
that I feel has been underutilized in electronic music lately. The music flows from edit
to edit, creating a cohesive, smooth album which is consistently strong. Although I like
it all, my favorite edit is probably "From an Eagle's Point of View", with
"Universal Crying" coming in as a close second. Programmers featuring electronic
and space music will find enthusiastic listener support for this excellent recent release.
Cowrind Studios
9320 Biscayne Blvd., Dallas, TX 75218/214-327-4579
From the Foundation of the World has the excitement, drive, and feel of recent Tangerine
Dream and Yanni releases. This moving synthesizer-based music also features acoustic and
electric guitars, keyboards, electronic drums, and saxophone, and the guest talents of
Eric Tagg and Steve Gay. The grandness of the Biblical titles is reflected in the
spatious, majestic melodies, which start with otherwordly, spacey intros that set the
theme for each piece. Although this is Snidow's fourth release, it is his first CD, and
could easily find a large and enthusiastic audience.
Neurodisc Records
4592 N. Hiatus Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33351
954-572-0289, neurodisc@aol.com
Of Earth and Sky is an excellent combination of electronic space and cool techno-ambient
music. Mark Allison plays the excellent keyboards and constructs the programming that
dominate the CD, but the occasional haunting voices of Kyoko Kigasawa and Annie Lai give
the album its magic. The tracks have cool grooves overlaid with electronics reminiscent of
some of the Waveform and Astralwerks artists. The CD has no lemons, but some tracks
deserve special mention. "Duang Jai Mae" is representative of the best on the
album: great rhythm with sensuous Japanese vocals. "Peyote Road" has
otherworldly vocal samples as good as any I have heard. "Point of Passage" is
seductively compelling, pulling me into the music every time I hear it. "Song of
Nepal" builds from its very ambient beginnings into an irresistible, smooth groove.
Allison and his collaborators have created a superbly crafted, evocative, bewitching
album. I have yet to tire of The Spirit Level, even after numerous listens. Don't miss a
chance to sample this wonderful musical journey.
Instrumentation: Keyboards, samples, programming, vocals.
Asphodel
P.O. Box 51, Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113
In an increasingly technological and urban world it seems that we get further and further
from our organic connections; eating, working, living, and possessing objects in a
human-constructed environment divorced from our agrarian past. DJ Spooky is a brilliant,
artistic muse which personifies this trend by deconstructing our musical past into
component parts that are devoid of their prior meaning and juxtaposing these fragments
into new combinations that are both challenging and engaging. His instruments are loops of
the sounds made by others, at times raw and untamed, at other times processed, backmasked,
or altered beyond recognition of their source. The result is an otherworldly soundscape
filled with ambiguity, lacking both the joyous peace of acoustic new age and the brooding
darkness of industrial ambient. Those who like the music of FSOL, Orb, Bill Laswell, or
Seti will probably like Songs of a Dead Dreamer. DJ Spooky's music is a combination of
space rock, ambient, dub, abstract world, and trip-hop. My favorite edits are the more
ambient cuts such as "Phase Interlude", "Thoughts Like Rain",
"Grapheme", and "The Terran Invasion of Alpha Centauri Year 2794".
This music will not fit a traditional acoustic new age or smooth jazz set, but will
interface well in programs featuring electronic space music, dub-ambient, sombient, and
sampled noise.
Eurock
P.O. Box 13718, Portland, OR 97213
It is a very fortunate circumstance for those who have come to know Tim Story from his
recent material to have an opportunity to hear In Another Country, which has just been
rereleased by Eurock. This work, which contains the two lost tracks culled when his first
lp was cut, epitomizes the slow careful pace and beauty that I associate with Story.
Piano, synthesizers, and guitars are combined in simple but elegant ways. Most of the
pieces highlight the piano, which appears to me to be Story's instrument of choice.
However, the music feels more electronic and ambient than A Perfect Flaw, Tim's last
release on Hearts of Space. The album is cohesive and flawless, and should please both
fans and newcomers to this talented artist.
Discovery Records
2034 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Hinterland is the fourth Strange Cargo release from ambient artist William Orbit. The
album represents a cross-over between ambient and dancefloor techno, although any such
crass categorization seems an injustice for such an original and compelling album. Orbit
composed, performed, and mixed all tracks. Although a variety of guest vocalists
contribute color to the album, the CD contains primarily instrumental, chill-out music in
the vein of the dancier releases of Aphex Twin, Autechre, and Global Communication. The
album starts off with several higher energy tracks, including "She Cries Your
Name", which will likely be the most popular track for radio play, although my
favorite is "Montok Point", in which spoken voice adds vivid fragments of
imagery. All tracks have a hypnotic rhthym, which becomes subtly subdued towards the end
of the album, leaving the listener in a relaxed, refreshed, and altered state. Hinterland
is consistently strong and entrancing, and will likely create an even stronger fan-base
for Orbit than he already enjoys.
Instinct Ambient
26 West 17th Street # 502, New York, NY 10011
In their first full length release Sub Dub (Raz Mesinai and John Ward) assemble a smooth,
cool-ambient sound using a variety of sampled sounds, percussion, bass, and female voice.
Most edits have a strong dub influence, although some lack an overt dub presence and
become positively spacey. Especially effective is the use of backmasked instrumentation
that provides a distinctive rhythmic/percussive element in several of the tracks,
including "Assunni", "Ambient Syndrome", and "Deserted Dub".
Ursula Ward's voice is a central part of two tracks, "Rising Dub" and
"Ambrosia", with Grant Stewart providing saxophone in the latter. All other
edits are primarily instrumental. Ambient music is a melting pot, and certainly the
combination provided in this dub-ambient release will please many electronic ambient
listeners and programmers. The tracks are quite varied, and programmers should not make
conclusions about all tracks after listening to just a few. My favorite edits are
"Drifting" and "Deserted Dub".
Cue Records
Heezerweg 158, 5614 HH Eindhoven, The Netherlands/31-40-2120013.
Mind Trips is the first CD released by Danny Budts, the man behind Syndromeda. Using about
a dozen different synthesizers, he has created music reminiscent of early Tangerine Dream,
Software, and Jarre. Mind Trips is cosmic, sweeping, heartfelt space music, and will
delight listeners who have missed the sound of analog synthesizers in today's ambient
music. The electronic dreamscapes created for this album are superbly crafted, compelling
the listener to accompany the artist on his mental excursions. Although in an older idiom,
the tracks are original and interesting. The album has just the right combination of
consistency and variety. Vocal samples are very limited, but occur on "Hypnotic
Dreams". My personal favorites are "Beyond the Horizon of the Mind" and
"The Dark Side of the Mind". Although I have enjoyed every Cue Records release,
Mind Trips is one of my favorites, and hopefully will increase visibility for both
Syndromeda and Cue.
Timebase
P.O. Box 26 04 30, 40097 Duesseldorf, Germany.
Temps Perdu? create an hypnotic, exotic aural landscape with synthesizers, percussive
instrumentation, flutes, and samplers. Most tracks have a tribal ambient feel, with some,
such as the title track, generating a much more spacey atmosphere. Terra Incognita is
reminiscent of some of Steve Roach's somber ambient tunes, and indeed Steve produced and
mixed one track ("Sonoran Night") and provided loops for another ("29
Palms"). The instrumentation on this album is well mixed, forming cohesive music in
which the voices of the instruments are clear but near equal. The flutes and distant voice
haunt the listener, infusing mystery and awe into the tracks featuring them. The music is
ancient and primordial at the same time it is spacey and otherworldly, indeed a terra
incognita of the mind. All tracks are strong and should get radio play on ambient and new
age shows, but I especially enjoy "Desert Horizon", "Terra Incognita",
and "Dance of the Insects". Temps Perdu? are original and perform with feeling
and sensibility. Don't pass up a chance to listen to this, their newest release.
Discovery Music
2034 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Toward the Unknown Region is one of the most excellently crafted ambient releases to come
out this year. The album pleased me from the very first casual listen to the tenth time
through. Torch Song, featuring William Orbit, released 8 albums during the mid-1980's,
preceding the Strange Cargo and Bassomatic efforts of Orbit in the late '80's and early
'90's. Toward the Unknown Region is highly musical and seductive. The songs feature
synthesizers, electric guitar, piano, drum machines, and processed female vocals.
Generally they start with beatless intros, which pick up a beat and increasing complexity
as each track progresses. The beat is smoother, calmer, and spacier than most techno, and
has fewer rock influences than Orbit's other recent release, Strange Cargo Hinterland.
Despite the complexity and variety inherent in the music, (which is so satisfying on
multiple listens), the album has a thematic feel, tied together by the repeated use of the
vocals in simple repeated refrains and similarity in beat and instrumentation. The album
creates a cool, sophisticated, trippy atmosphere, and is sure to please ambient and space
music fans for years to come.
City of Tribes
3025 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110/415-252-9397
The combination of clarinets, digeridoos, and non-western percussion is an intriguing
ensemble in and of itself. When combined in the mysterious and other-wordly compositions
in Head Light, these instruments become magic, and transport us into a sensuous,
primitive, and dangerous world. This music is not clearly tied to any geographic region of
earth, nor does it easily fit any of the many subgenres of new age/world/ambient music.
Elements of the music are familiar, but the pieces are fresh, original, and exciting. The
playing is flawless, and reflects an uncommon maturity and talent. Non-traditional
percussion is played by three of the band members, Stephen Kent, John Loose, and Kenneth
Newby, with Beth Custer on clarinets and trumpet. Kent provides the signature didgeridoo.
Most of the cuts are strictly instrumental, although "Worksong" has the
nonspoken vocalizations of guest musicians Eda Maxym and Lorraine Thomson. For me,
"Head Light" and "Their Hands are Blue" have the greatest mystery and
power, although "Monkfish" is also one of my favorites. This is a great album,
don't pass up a chance to give it a close listen.
Release Entertainment
P.O. Box 251, Millersville, PA 17551/717-397-9221 Weaving an exotic tapestry of tribal,
mystical compositions that explore themes of light and darkness, Trial of the Bow's Rite
of Passage demonstrates a continuance of the excellence and promise established on their
debut album, Ornamentation. Although reminiscent of Dead Can Dance and Rapoon, this
release has a distinctive voice separate from those groups. The use of exotic stringed
eastern instruments, together with tabla, bansuri flute, other nonwestern instrumentation,
and limited vocalizations (no words), creates amazing sonic experiences. "Father of
the Flower", with its strong tabla driving stringed instrumentation conveys the
mystery and excitement of the best Dead Can Dance numbers. "Ubar" has a light,
almost dance-like quality, while "Serpent" is slow and stately. "Ceilidh
for the Sallow Ground" is one of my personal favorites, calling up images of arabic
world street-markets filled with excitement and danger. We fear what we do not know, and
this album cultivates the thrill and enjoyment exotic soundscapes. This CD will appeal to
both ambient and contemporary world aficionados, and should cement a place for Trial of
the Bow in the growing lexicon of respected tribal ambient artists.
Instrumentation: tabla, oud, bansuri flute, other eastern ethnic instrumentation.
Northside530 North 3rd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-375-0233, chill@noside.com/www.noside.com
The jews harp seems such an unlikely instrument to occupy the star role in a full length
CD. Tapani Varis demonstrates an amazing virtuosity with a relatively limited instrument.
Jews harp in solo and in accompaniment with Finnish fiddle is used to create music that is
alternately stately and lively. "Munniharppuuna" is my favorite introspective
number, "Metsapelto d" and "Fanitullen" are kick up your heels dance
numbers, and "Tatsun Paalle" is unlike anything I have heard, with unreal
background instrumentation not noted in the credits. Tapani Varis is well known from his
work with Finnish traditional music ensembles. This is his first solo album, and
represents a recent interest in the jews harp. Based on Finnish and Norwegian folk tunes,
Jews Harp is the most otherwordly world-music album to come across my desk. Some might
find repeated listening difficult (it is an awful lot of twang), but others could get
hooked, like my son who listened to it constantly for three days until his father had to
take it to work. A quirky and fun original, the open-minded should definitely check this
one out.
Instrumentation: Hungarian, Norwegian, and Indonesian jews harps, fiddle, viola, flutes, guitar, banjo, and jouhikko.
Spotted Peccary Music
P.O. Box 2029, Encinitas, CA 92023-0930/619-942-1694.
Arif Verner creates full, spacious, atmospheres on his first full CD release, A Vision
Beyond Light. Most cuts are dominated by synthesizer, although guitar, non-drum
percussion, and sampled nature sounds add important accents. The music is consistent with
the sound produced by the Spotted Peccary label. Indeed, several of the label's artists
appear in the credits, including Paul Lackey, Deborah Martin, and Jon Jenkins, the latter
providing especially effective chime-like percussion on "Through Eon Clusters".
My favorite edits are the two pieces featuring acoustic guitar, "In Lucid
Dreams" and "A Distant Memory". I also found "From Extension
Fields" very compelling, with a minimalist background reminiscent of early Mark
Isham, and other instrumentation similar to Richard Burmer's first releases. Many of the
tunes on A Vision Beyond Light are quite changeable, changing melody, pace, and mood as
they proceed. This album will appeal to the fans and programmers of space and new age
music. It is excellent contemplative music for quiet night-time hours.
Cuneiform Records
P.O. Box 8427, Silver Spring, MD 20907-8427.
Silent Heaven is another fascinating and slightly odd release from Cuneifrom Records.
Vrtacek explores a variety of moods and sounds on this long release, which contains a
breadth of styles including simple guitar melodies, sparse piano pieces, spoken prose, and
sampled ambience. A member of the fast and noisy band Forever Einstein, C.W. Vrtacek wrote
this music at a time of sadness in his life, and the pieces are notably introspective and
sparse. In a real sense, the music gives a feeling of isolation and silence. The moods are
hard to place, sometimes sad, but more often contemplative and ambiguous. The ambient
tracks (particularly "When Heaven Comes to Town") are very reminiscent of Philip
Perkins work. "Preparing the Bridge (for Heaven)" has a thundering ambient bass
for background with synthesizer playing a sweet adagio over the top, and reminds me
somewhat of Steve Roach's Magnificent Void. Some edits even call to mind the sampled work
of Nurse with Wound. My favorite tracks are "Emily, Are You Happy?", a playful
tune featuring toy xylophone and a severely whammied guitar dedicated to Vrtacek's cat,
Emily, "Fly/Wave", the song containing prose about migratory birds, and
"Saying Goodbye to the Beauty and Complexity of Life on Earth," a sad tune with
a theme I understand too well. Silent Heaven is intelligent and interesting, and should
please the adventurous new age listener.
Core Dump Records
1685.5 Church Street, San Francisco, CA 94131
The Dry Well features Tim Walters, a member of Circular Firing Squad, playing and
processing hammer dulcimer, kalimba, and a number of not easily recognized instruments.
The music is sparse, but will please those who enjoyed the recent Throne of Drones/Swarm
of Drones releases. The first three tracks are based on the epic of Gilgamesh. Of these,
"Descent of Inanna" features the voice talents of Kee Kille, and concerns the
descent of Inanna into the underworld to rescue the Spirit of the Sun, who has been
captured by the Lord of the Underworld. "Under" also has a subterranean theme,
using as its inspiration the account of Gilgamesh's long, dark, and arduous journey under
the mountain on his way to the country of myth. The last three tracks consist solely of
sounds derived from the kalimba, or African thumb piano. The kalimba tracks experience a
variety of processing techniques, much of them live and interactive. Notes are
electronically stretched without changing pace, to give a drone-like quality to these
pieces. I liked this release, particularly the first and last edits, and recommend it to
programmers who enjoy sampling the more experimental side of ambient music.
Traumton Records
Wuerzburger Strasse 4, D-10789 Berlin, Germany.
A fusion of South American rhythms, jazz, pop, and ambient textures provides a unique
musical experience on Canto d'Alma (The Song of the Soul). Xiame's second release
demonstrates a diversity of sounds and moods, but is primarily bittersweet and melancholy.
The guitar of Michael Rodach and bass of Jorge Degas combine with the varied percussive
instruments of Andreas Weiser to create the fabric of the music, with the voice of Naja
Storeberg and violincello of Wolfgang Loos providing splashes of color. Most pieces are
instrumentals, although my favorite edit, "Sabia" has both the voices of Naja
and Jorge in a simple and repetitious Brazilian refrain, which is simultaneously
understated and compelling. "Wine Flows Like the Wind" and "Nowhere at
Nine" are the most ambient pieces, while the last edit, "Stenia" leaves the
melancholy behind, and calls to mind cinematic images of heading out of town in a
convertible into an empty, big-sky landscape, full of hope and joy. This album is a real
ride, and should please the adventurous new age listener.
Projekt
Box 166155, Chicago, IL 60616/312-491-0104
In 1995, Amplexus released a series of limited edition 3-inch CD's, each featuring the
work of a single artist. Fortune has smiled on those who missed the limited releases. The
pieces by vidnu Obmana, Thom Brennan, and Steve Roach have been assembled and rereleased
on Amplexus. The work of these three tribal/ambient artists makes the tightest compilation
album I have heard in years. All three edits, which last about 20 minutes each, are
absolutely superb. Vidnu Obmana and Steve Roach produce tracks reminiscent of their Well
of Souls collaboration, although the differences in these two masters of ambience are
evident on close listening. Obmana's "The Transcending Quest" has tribal
percussion superimposed by a wash of electronics and conveys the life and mystery of far
eastern tropical jungles, while Roach, with his slower undulation and tidal percussion
presents open, desolate sonic landscapes striking in their stark beauty. The surprise for
me on this album was the track by Thom Brennan. "The Path Not Taken" has a
steady trance-like drumming with a slow, almost lilting overlay of music and ambience.
Regardless of the distractions around me, I cannot play the piece without it pulling me
in. Amplexus is a superior ambient release, and will serve as an excellent introduction to
the artists' work (for novice listeners) as well as delight the most discriminating of
their fans.
Instinct Records
26 West 17th St. #502, New York, NY 10011 212/727-1360
Not since Salvadore Dali: The Endless Enigma has there been a compilation that delighted
me as much as this recent release from Instinct. The 2 CD compilation features lesser
known artists that play consistently interesting ambient music. The release contains a
diversity of styles and moods, but the pieces complement each other and together create a
collage of aural landscapes. The tracks all share a common electronic music background.
Many of the tracks have a dark edge, but are generally not as somber as the genre can get.
Some of the cuts use sampled voice (talk show chatter, essays, tribal chants).
Conventional instruments, such as saxophone and guitar, also make appearances. My favorite
cuts include Celia Green's wierdness piece about psychophysical phenomena, Bad Data's
"Borders" which makes good use of what I believe are South American tribal
drums/rhythms, Coco, Steel & Lovebomb's "Berlinerstrasse", which has the sad
jazz feel of a Twin Peaks number, and Strawberry Girl's "Moonbeams", which
features a French woman talking in a beautifully sensuous voice with layered, processed
voice tracks added on for an eerily compelling aural experience.
Instinct Records
26 West 17th St. #502, New York, NY 10011
Explorer, the third compilation of Emit tracks available from Instinct, features a number
of lesser known artists that play consistently interesting ambient head music. The release
contains a diversity of styles and moods, but the pieces complement each other and
together create a collage of aural landscapes. The tracks all are constructs of sampled
sound, acoustic instrumentation, and electronic music. Many of the tracks have a dark
edge, but are generally not as somber as the genre can get. Some edits are quiet and full
of space. Others demonstrate jazz, dub, and world influences. The 2CD set is a treasure
trove of experimental ambient. My favorite edits include "Aeroplane" by the
International Peoples Gang, an odd piece with a laughing woman asking a simple question
punctuated with waves of ambient- techno instrumentation, Miasma's "Settled
Storm", a haunting electro- orchestral piece, and dub-influenced "Imagine"
by the Voodoo Warriors of Love. Other artists represented include Bad Data, Woob, Gas,
Qubism, Beatsystem, David Toop, and Carl Stone. Take a head trip with the Emit crowd for
an eerily compelling aural experience.
Instinct
26 W 17th St. #502, New York, NY 10011/212-727-1360.
For those familiar with the Plug In & Turn On series from Instinct, they will find the
third in the series a marked departure from the previous releases. The first two albums
had techno and techno/ambient artists, many of which went on to release solo albums on the
Instinct Ambient label. X.3 features trip hop music played by a whole new group of
musicians, principally from the U.K. Although trip hop has some commonalities with techno
and sampled ambient, the tunes on Plug In & Turn On x.3 have a steady, often jazzy,
beat with noisy, traditional percussion (drum sets) rather than the even-tempered
regularity of a drum machine. The songs have more drive and energy than ambient, yet are
slower paced than most techno. Female voice is repeatedly used effectively, although none
of the tracks have lyrics. Samplers and synthesizers fill out the sound. The general feel
of the album reminds me of the Artificial Intelligence compilations which came out a few
years ago. My favorite edits were the two by Pronoia, an especially promising trip hop
group. I also liked Karma's "High Priestess" and Antarctica's "Dehydration
Part II", the latter having deliciously/annoyingly minimalistic and repetitive
segments. This CD will fit well in radio programs playing techno, ambient dub, techno
ambient, and industrial ambient. The album is a great introduction to the trip hop scene.
Release
P.O. Box 251, Millersville, PA 17551/717-397-9221
Release stretches the boundaries of instrumental music in this generous 3-CD, 3.5 hour
banquet of the darker side of ambient and the lighter side of noise. This ambitious
sampler will stimulate the imagination and try the patience of even the most experienced
and adventurous radio programmers. Although certainly not destined for the Grammy's, this
collection is destined to become a classic to which other ambient industrial and noise
compilations will be compared. The sampler is constructed in order of increasing
difficulty. The first CD possesses the sad but beautiful music of Amber Asylum, the
tribal/world ambience of Vidna Obmana, Tuu, and Trial of the Bow, and the quiet
environmental industrial ambience of groups less familiar to ambient afficionados, such as
Lull, Yen Pox, Mandible Chatter, and Tribes of Neurot. Subarachnoid Space departs from the
general ambience with their guitar and drum based psychedelia, and Joy of Disease provide
a taste of the darker, edgier sounds to follow on subsequent discs. Although at times
dark, the first disc is generally pleasant for those who like the dark and droney side of
the genre. Disc two is noisier, but has some of the most interesting cuts on the sampler.
I especially like the tracks by Namanax, James Plotkin, O Yuki Conjugate, and Solarus.
Dissecting Table are very intense and very good in a nihilistic sort of way. Only two cuts
(Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock and Bastard Noise) were unpleasant and uninteresting to my
ears. Disc three provides the feedback one expects from a noise sampler, but even here the
tracks are more accessible than the most severe Japanese and American noise bands. Many of
the pieces pulse to some degree, giving a pattern that enhances the musicality of
otherwise unmusical music. My favorite tracks on this CD are those by Illusion of Safety,
Last Satanic Dance, and Brume. The last six bands are intense, noisy, and irritating, a
perfect introduction to the industry's most difficult genre. The breadth and scope of
Release Your Mind 2 is breathtaking and mind-numbing, and I warmly recommend it to the
most adventurous listeners.
Lektronic Soundscapes
P.O. Box 15867, Durham, NC 27704/919-419-9900
This is a well crafted, beautifully compiled CD that features eight ambient artists
playing a fascinating assortment of space music. Although many of the artists have
explored other styles and instruments, this album has a consistently electronic basis, and
the pieces flow together as if the artists had agreed upon the effect they were attempting
to achieve. Some pieces convey hope and joy, others reflect sorrow and darkness, but all
have a spiritual beauty. Even for ambient-music experts, this album will probably
introduce artists with which they are not familiar, and the exhaustive discographies on
each artist will undoubtedly be a source for those who wish to seek out earlier works on
very diverse labels. All tracks are wonderful, and my favorites vary with my mood.
However, I find the pieces by Todd Fletcher, Giles Reaves, and Robert Rich especially
captivating. Soundscape Gallery joins the swelling ranks of successful compilations in
which the whole is somehow greater than the sum of its parts. Don't pass up the
opportunity to check this one out.
Instrumentation: synthesizers, samplers, electronics
Sombient/Asphodel
P.O. Box 51, Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113.
The third and final release in the Drones series is a spectacular climax to a fascinating
project. A Storm of Drones contains 3 hours and 40 minutes of very somber electroacoustic
music on 3 CD's. It is overwhelming to listen to the whole set in one sitting, and does
not make especially good background music. A clear melody is not in evidence in any of the
35 tracks, and many new age programmers will probably not be interested. However, this
compilation, like the two that preceeded it, gives access to musicians whose work is often
difficult to obtain, and will hopefully give radio audiences access to composers that they
never hear anywhere else. The selections include cutting edge electronics,
computer-processed instruments and musique concrete by the world's leading artists in
these genres, including Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Naut Humon, Maryanne Amacher, Jeff
Greinke, Michael Stearns, Asmus Tietchens, Vidna Obmana, and Darren Copeland. The first
CD, "AUDIO", samples computer music and radio art originally released on the
electroacoustic label empreintes DIGITALes, and is the most experimental of the three
disks. Of these, I like the piece by Robert Normandeau best. The second CD,
"ENVIRONMENT", has a number of tracks that strongly remind me of Roach's The
Magnificent Void. The pieces convey space, chaos, and creation themes. Of special interest
to me on this CD were the mellow trombone piece of Stuart Dempster and the
processed-beyond-recognition piano piece by Aloof Proof. "IMMERSION" contains
the compositions by Amacher, Greinke, and Rich, and is probably my favorite of the three.
A Storm of Drones is a powerful collection, a treasure trove of difficult music, a window
into the bleak landscape of a decaying society and a dying world. Turn off the lights and
let yourself into the psycho-active space it creates.
Cue Records
Heezerweg 158, 5614 HH Eindhoven, The Netherlands/31-40-2120013
Keeping true to their reputation for excellence in synthesizer-based music, the folks from
Cue Records have produced a second compilation inspired by the television show X-Files.
The first X-Files CD, Out There Lies the Truth, sold out in a few months. I actually like
The Truth is Twisted better. Each track is a collaborative effort between two electronic
synthesizer/space music artists. "The Sensation of the Vortex" and
"Current" have the drive and movement of the best work of Tangerine Dream. the
rest of the tracks are more quiet and evocative, being electronic space music in the
classic sense. Of these, I especially like "Cryogenic Hypersleep" and
"Alien Artifacts of Ice". the electronic music on this album is high caliber,
and hangs together with a surprising cohesiveness given that eleven different musicians
were involved in the production. The Truth is Twisted showcases the strength of Dutch
synthesizer artists and will hopefully lead to wider recognition and sales for these
talented performers.
Extreme
P.O. Box 147, Preston 3072, Victoria, Australia
A delight for jaded ears, this compilation is dark, noisy and full of unrecognizable
atmospheres and allusions. Extreme has hosted a lot of pioneering artists, and on their
ten-year anniversary has released a compilation of edits to celebrate that event. This CD
contains new releases by Pablo's Eye, Muslimgauze, Merzbow, Fetisch Park and others in a
collage of sombient landscapes, industrial ambience, dub, mideastern shamanic rhythms, and
noise. Complex, changing soundscapes, each fascinating and original, are strung together
to create a coherent whole. I like them all. Even Merzbow, who is admittedly an acquired
taste, is tame enough and among wild enough company that he does not interrupt the flow.
If you have not heard Muslimgauze, with their strong and sinister arabic music, it is time
you did. Dan Burke, a favored artist of mine since his Illusion of Safety days, makes an
appearance under the group name "Groovy". This album has kept my interest in
many repeat listens, and I highly recommend it to adventurous radio programmers and
retailers. And as if this was not enough, the release comes with an additional CD by
Social Interiors! The second CD is a cut-up and remix of past Extreme releases by multiple
artists. Static-filled and electronic, this otherworldly collection is also sure to please
the audiophile pining for pre-disco industrial ambient music. What are those Chinese
calling and answering about in the fourth track? How do they achieve a vocal that sounds
like back masking when played either forwards or in reverse (track 9)? Social Interiors
are so delightfully enigmatic and obtuse. This release is a must have for the lovers of
bizarre ambient/experimental curios, and I hope it can find its way into their hands and
ears.
Instrumentation: electronics, samples, ethnic percussion, bass, guitar, obscure sources of static and noise, very limited voice.
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