Savvas Ysatis and Taylor Deupree - Hourglass
Ysatis and Deupree are back, and judging from the samples this looks like being an absolute stunner!
Savvas Ysatis and Taylor Deupree were at it again in Deupree’s
country studio, about two years after the creation of 2007’s The
Sleeping Morning CD-EP. They gave themselves one week to see what they
could create with the studio as a blank canvas, and the two emerged
with Hourglass, four songs of carefully crafted pop-infused ambient
music destined for release on 12” vinyl.
Machinefabriek & Peter Broderick - Blank Grey Canvas Sky
This beautiful collaboration features two of the most prolific
talents from the current experimental scene, both with reputations of
leviathan proportions… For this release, Machinefabriek, based in
Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Peter Broderick, based in Berlin,
Germany (although constantly on the road) set out to push each others
limits, and to explore new areas within their own creativity.
Keepsakes - Partial To Memory
If you are looking for the ‘perfect release’, then ‘Partial To Memory’ comes very close to being just that with it’s experimental sound design, bespoke artwork and gorgeous packaging…
The album really is something special with its micro glitched
structures, cricket type field recordings and emotionally charged synth
patterns.
Keepsakes ability to evoke strong emotionally charged images
through acousmatic sound design are evident througout the process and
have levels of depth and richness that literally leave you breathless.
Elm - Nemcatacoa
Elm is the solo project of Jon Porras, one half of the deeply
revered San Francisco drone lords, Barn Owl. Only his third release in
solo mode, ‘Nemcatacoa’ has strong ties to his other project, but
revolves around a lonelier and more personal agenda, with eight
incredible tracks of widescreen Americana drone soul, stretching from
the peripheries of Earth’s maudlin blues-scapes to blissfully noisy and
psychedelic ragas reminiscent of Pandit Pran Nath or Om.
Le Lendemain – Fires
David Wengrenn and Danny Norbury are no first time collaborators.
The two artists have previously worked together under the banner of
Wengrenn’s Library Tapes, with Norbury contributing strings to a
predominantly piano-driven soundworld. On this album, recorded as Le
Lendemain, you might arrive at the conclusion that there’s a more even
distribution of creative duties on show.
Tim Catlin & Machinefabriek - Glisten
‘Glisten’ is the first collaborative release by Tim Catlin,
a guitarist and sound artist based in Melbourne, Australia and
Machinefabriek, the nom de plume of Rutger Zuydervelt from Rotterdam,
The Netherlands.
Whilst researching information on
prepared guitar, Zuydervelt discovered the work of Tim Catlin, most
notably his album ‘Radio Ghosts’ (released on 23five in 2007).
Intrigued by Catlin’s approach towards mechanically prepared guitar and
the engaging sound world created by this unassuming expertise, a
partnership was soon set in motion.
Ryonkt - Small Conversations
Soft spoken and gentle ‘Small Conversations’ embodies all that
ambient music is meant to be through perfectly crafted music of
delicate beauty. Ryo Nakata’s work picks up and elaborates where Eno’s
left. ‘Small Conversations’ will fit perfectly in one’s collection next
to albums by Celer and Phill Niblock.
‘Small Conversations’ is packaged in Experimedia’s signature
custom designed six panel tall-slim pack is limited to 150 copies.
Photo/design by Jeremy Bible
Part Timer - Grass Rewound
Part Timer gets to grips with the Aaron Martin originals and
transforms each track into his own majestic concoction of acoustic
manipulated bliss. This truly is a remix release of the highest quality
and will no doubt be looking to slip in to the Fluid Top 10 albums for
2009 at the end of the year!
1. terrace (grandview)
2. climbing into water (drowned)
3. gravel scar (dried blood)
4. shot tower (hot lead)
5. breath of embers (asthmatic)
6. grass wounds (epilogue)
Full info/review coming soon
Aquarelle - Slow Circles
After three years of multiple revisions and complete deletions,
‘Slow Circles’ was engendered as much by the music that adheres to it
than by what does not.
Meaning at this point in the history of recorded music – where
any- and everything can be and is available – what you leave out and
avoid is just as critical as what few things remain. Still, there is
much to be heard by Aquarelle (the aural moniker of Ryan Potts) on
‘Slow Circles.’ Tempered with static and distortion, the five extended
tracks hold an illusion of stasis sourced from dozens of layers of
acoustic, electric, and electronic instruments. Filtered loops overlap
and repeat, erecting a pattern that links pure minimalism to an oblique
and layered pop approach that unfurls with acoustic guitar, bells, and
bits of percussion.
Simon James French - Anthem
With it’s orchestral like environment of exploration and wonder, ‘Anthem‘
demonstrates Simon’s expertise within the realms of experimental
soundscapes. You immidiately sense his ability to allow each track time
and space to breath without ever needing to ‘over do’ things, a
technique commomplace throughout.
This is never more evident than in the stand out track ‘Misery‘;
never overreaching, never trying too hard to overstate, flawlessly
encapsulating an eerie gothic feel along the lines of Jacaszek’s
creations.
‘Anthem’ delievers ghostly digital portraits with it’s low organ tones and treated sounds…