“Dream Sequence“ starts with a rumbling distant thunder and the dripping sounds of water in a bathroom nearby. Slowly – very slowly! – drone chords set in to create a calm soothing sound. But underneath, there is the dark foreboding sound of a low register piano pulse…
“We are Snoqualmie Falls, and this is the soundtrack to our dream life. Where we’re from the birds sing a pretty song, and there’s always music in the air.”
Snoqualmie Falls – named after the scenic cascade in Washington State – is Jeff Stonehouse (a.k.a. Listening Mirror and Jffstnhs) creating the music and Alicia Merz adding her ethereal vocals.
“Dream Sequence“ takes all the time it needs to develop. It is best approached with a Zen-like attitude, a calm ‘mindful’ awareness.
But make no mistake: this track is not ‘just’ a drone. The added (or left out) details create a subtle tension that is constantly changing throughout the composition.
There are only a few distinct moments where Alicia’s voice is clearly recognisable, although it is difficult (if not impossible) to grasp her words. But her voice is present throughout, stretched infinitely – a tempting, ghostlike voice coming from afar.
It is not often that a compositionof this kind can keep the listener’s full attention for this long.
When “Dream Sequence“ finally comes to an end, the 59 minutes it took could also have been a few hours… It’s as if time has stopped completely.
Or like a waterfall frozen to a halt.
Snoqualmie Falls – Dream Sequence (Ambientblog Short Edit)