Category: other-music

Grounding Sounds #7

GS image logo

I am extremely honoured to present a guest mix for the Grounding Sounds series, which, “drawing inspiration from the famous Back To Mine compilations, showcases the music that captured experimental artists and labels”.

But: I must warn you beforehand: this mix contains NO ambient music at all – with a possible exception of the opening track “Spider & I” by Brian Eno.
It is a rather eclectic selection of all kinds of unrelated genres, because I deliberately chose to stay away from ambient music for this ‘classic mixtape-style’ selection of some of my all-time favourites.

Gluid – Metamorphosis; Arpatle – The Day After

Can this be a coincidence?

In the same week I have received two new albums with a remarkable resemblance: both are from Dutch artists, both have a bright ‘lightweight’, almost ‘poppy’, feeling yet are experimental in their creative use of sound samples. Also, both are defying contemporary genres. They’re not ambient, not too experimental, not strictly electronic, not improvised, but definitely not ‘mainstream pop’ either.

Could it be we’re defining a new genre here?


Gluid

Steve Roach & Byron Metcalf – Tales from the Ultra Tribe


Tales from the Ultra-Tribe

Born in 1955 and making music since he was 20 years old (inspired by Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze and Vangelis), Steve Roach has personally helped shape ambient music to become what it is now. He’s one of those extremely prolific artists: his discography boasts about 100 albums at the moment.
He has worked together with many well-known musicians, and though his style may vary on each different release it is also very personal and immediately recognisable.

With 40 years of musical experience, percussionist Byron Metcalf is not exactly a newcomer, either. 

“Tales from the Ultra Tribe” is their latest collaboration (released in conjunction with Steve Roach’s drone album “Soul Tones” , which showcases quite a different side of his music).

The tense and suspenseful rhythms from these seamlessly mixed eight tracks immediately catch hold of the listener and don’t let go until the end, 74 minutes later.

Eivind Aarset – Dream Logic

Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset will probably be known by many of you, just for his contributions to the music of artists like Nils Petter Molvaer, Arve Henriksen, David Sylvian.

When reading about his new solo album, the combination of some details made it clear to me that this was a release to look forward to:  

First: it is released on the ECM-label.
Second: it is co-produced and co-composed by Jan Bang.  
Third: it’s title is “Dream Logic” …

Marconi Union; Green Kingdom; Slow Dancing Society; Stray Theories; SRFelix

In the Shortlist sections, I will mention some of the albums that I enjoyed listening to, but couldn’t find the time (or the right words) for a “full” review for. Still, I think they deserve your attention: use the links to find more info and hear previews.

Different Colours

Spotify MARCONI UNION – DIFFERENT COLOURS

“In the ten years of their existence, Marconi Union have released six critically acclaimed albums. Their music has featured on TV, Films, Art Installations, Ballet and various other productions. The most frequently identified strands in their music are ambient, electronica, jazz and dub. However, they draw on many other influences which subtly appear in their music.”
We wanted to create a more soulful record with a greater emphasis on structure and arrangement, whilst immersing listeners in an almost narcotic haze, in a similar fashion to Bernard Herrmann’s Taxi Driver soundtrack.”
With Different Colours, they definitely succeeded!

Incidental Music

Spotify THE GREEN KINGDOM – INCIDENTAL MUSIC

“The heart of Incidental Music is the acoustic guitar: melodies, chords, drones, and percussive sounds sometimes used in a straightforward manner, while at other times abstracted and manipulated to beautiful effect. These minimal themes serve as an apt score to the small scenes occurring around us all the time.”
An audio accompaniment for a spontaneous still life, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Something for those stolen moments when we stop and appreciate the beauty of minutia in the often unseen world all around us.”

Library Tapes – Sun Peeking Through


Library Tapes - Sun Peeking Through

Recording music since 2004, Swedish composer David Wenngren a.k.a. Library Tapes has a distinct personal style that perfecly matches the best in the  ‘acoustic ambient’/’post-classical’ genres.

His latest album “Sun Peeking Through” flawlessly unites different kind of aspects from the genre: ambient electronics in the opening and closing Variations, romantic piano melodies combined with melancholic cello musings, all alternating with dark abstract ambient string soundscapes.

Title and cover image tell all there is need to know about this album: look behind the melancholy and sadness to find the ‘Sun Peeking Through‘.

Greg Haines – Digressions


Digressions

When the relatively short opening track from “Digressions” slowly fades into the second track, “Caden Cotard”, an unexpected, jaw-dropping massiveness starts to build – a full orchestral sound that I did not expect to hear on this third Greg Haines album.

It’s not ‘loud’, it’s not ‘noise’ – it’s beautifully restrained, but it’s just…massive.

But then, within the same track, the intensity drops to a much quieter level to become much more intimate. 
With this flow of tension and release, “Digressions” somehow compares to a post-rock album, however with a different instrumentation.
Musically, it feels more like it’s a full classical symphony.

Mirrorring – Foreign Body

Grouper (Liz Harris) is quite “Hot”.
And with that, I am not referring to the fact that she is female, which obviously is a rare feat in the male dominated world of ambient music (listeners, as well as musicians).

She’s ‘hot’ because she manages to appeal to a (relatively) large audience by merging different backgrounds, combining sleepy bedroom folk with laptop lo-fi and electronic minimalism. 

Her recent performance (in my hometown) sold out quicky and raised a relatively fair amount of buzz. In her performance  she did not touch any guitar, did not sing any tune – she just shuffled and mixed some cassette-tape recordings into an uncompromisingly minimal, William Basinski-like set of “Sleep”  (from “Violet Replacement“).

Looking around and watching a silent (!) crowd (of about 150) listening to this slowly deteriorating piece, most of them with eyes closed, I could not help but wonder why I did not see most of these people at other ambient music performances.
Two days earlier I enjoyed a brilliant performance of Machinefabriek, Celer and Kleefstra-Bakker-Kleefstra – with only some 20 other people in the audience. Which was a shame, because this deserved to be heard by a lot more – I realised that most of this Grouper audience definitely would have enjoyed that performance too!

Most of Grouper’s previous recordings are not as minimal as this performance of “Sleep”. The fact that she’s crossing over from hazy bedroom electronics may very well be the reason why she guides her audience into the deep and sleepy realms of minimalist ambient music. Almost unnoticed..

Until yesterday, I had some doubts about reviewing “Foreign Body”, a new release by Mirrorring (a duo featuring Liz ‘Grouper’ Harris and Jesy ‘Tiny Vipers’ Fortino (these two names together should obviously raise attention), because it’s not an ‘ambient’ album as most on this blog.

But with these thoughts about the recent Grouper performance in mind, I decided  this album was well worth the attention, because it will probably appeal to a lot of ambient music listeners, too.

So – how’s that for a lengthy introduction?