From Boomkat.com
Solo Andata - Solo Andata - Album of the week + Recommended Download'Having previously cropped up on the label as one of three acts on 12k's
Live In Melbourne album, Australian duo Solo Andata release their
second album proper (a follow up to 2006's Fyris Swan, on Hefty) with
this absorbing set of compositions, all mixed by Taylor Deupree, with
mastering duties undertaken by another 12k stalwart, Giuseppe Ielasi.
From the first few moments of its sonically rich opener, 'Ablation',
this is an ambient album that's full of nuance and character.
Surprisingly, there's actually very little in the way of an electronic
presence here, and most of the finer details come from organic sources,
whether they be acoustic instruments (both traditional and homemade) or
a range of location recordings, encompassing such subjects as the
dark-drone chug of a boat's engine to the close-up, environmental
clatter of a forest. This is a wonderfully well-produced record (as
you'd expect from the roster of talents involved), but it goes beyond
the expected domain of textural and analytical microsound-type
composition, expanding its focus to include Richard Skelton-esque
untamed string passages and Chris Watson-influenced nature portraits.
Wonderful stuff.'
Solo Andata - Look For Me Here - Single of the week + Recommended Download'A rare short-form release for the 12k label, Look For Me Here is a
remix EP accompanying Solo Andata's excellent new album. In addition to
the album mix, 12k regular Giuseppe Ielasi is on hand as a remixer, as
is Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose 'Chorale' mix starts off the release with a
flood of glorious droning ambience. There's nothing groundbreaking or
revolutionary in its conception, but Sakamoto's execution is imperious.
Weaving together pin prick glitches and swathes of misty harmony the,
the veteran composer brings a distinguished serenity to the original.
Ielasi meanwhile delves into a slightly more dynamic soundworld, making
more explicit use of the acoustic sounds from the original, casting a
particularly warm glow over the acoustic guitar passages. Three great
tracks, but the Sakamoto overhaul is the real pick of the bunch.'