Overviews are informative mini-reviews, generally of older releases (but also self-releases, singles, and other etcetera, including CDs which aren't quite 100% ambient). You never know what you'll find but, hey... that's half the fun! Biosphere: Patashnik   (Apollo - 1994) (8.9) The eerie "dream children" samples of Phantasm are a bit repetitious but they flow so well... whereas the unknown language samples of the title track seem to wear out their welcome sooner. Beatless Mir floats on orchestral pulses backed by a grittier feedback texture (and faint radio voices?), segueing into the dark opening of The Shield (8:54), behind which spacey passages are interspersed with spoken samples and eventually a pleasantly chugging electrobeat and cymbals. Such a swirling miasma of disparate sound! Amidst lush electronic swirls (and more spoken phrases, "Can you imagine?"), the rhythm which drives The Seti Project is even more insistent, though never overbearing. Lighter beats and musical bleeps await within the Botanical Dimensions, a Karsten Brustad piece arranged and remixed by Geir Jenssen. Owners of the Throne of Drones comp will recognize the lope and swell of En-trance. I'm thoroughly enjoying Patashnik, and realize I need to get ahold of Biosphere's more-ambient masterpieces such as Substrata, Permafrost, etc. Crown Invisible: Crown Invisible Remixes   (Cursor Club) (8.2) This CD-single of seven tracks offers remixes (and the originals) of two previous pieces (overviewed here in July, 1998). Luxuriously plush synthflow and cool beats make for a smoooth and upbeat listen. Hands down, the highlight track is the opener, V8 Remix 1: Confessions mix (or if you prefer no samples, try V8 Remix 2: Instrumental Mix), a delicious, slightly darker take on the sweet Crown Invisible sound; slightly sinister sweeps invade upon the synthstrings, e-piano, bass and beats. I understand there are more things in the works at Cursor Club, including a full length Crown Invisible disc. Contact them for more info. Devil Dub   (Black Hole Records - 1998) (8.5) The assorted musicians (Buckethead, Brain, Disk, M.I.R.V., Dr. Ware, Butthouse, Adrian Isabell) who stirred up the mischevious malevolence of Devil Dub sure seemed to have had a good time, which translates into a fun listen if you don't take it too seriously. Spooky musical overtones and horror film samples (and some R-Rated language) are moderately applied (except for the overbearing "evil laughter" which dominates Macrocardio Dub Infarction). Light-hearted darkness is evident in titles such as Dubasaurus Rex, Vampire (Slight Return), and Beelzebub Dub. Expertly executed and simmering in a slow groove, these tracks could be tunes from a haunted Jamaican dance hall. Ancient Chinese Secret (In Dub Sauce) adds twangy Orientalish strings to its flavorful mix. Soopfuh Beemuh writhes with electric undertones, beats and wailing slide guitar. Loren Nerell: Point of arrival   (1986) (7.9) Apt title for Loren Nerrell's debut release, originally issued on cassette in 1986. Most pieces tend toward overt synthplay in various styles, as the artist hadn't yet fully developed his ethno-tribal chops, though the rhythms of energetic Eidolon point toward ethnic patterns. Soundscape is more spacious, almost minimal; woodwind-y tones reappear over a continually shimmering electronic film. Bleepy synth sounds originate from Matrix, where rhythmic patterns and sporadic beats also thrive. Very cool, though somewhat dated by the sounds. Densely swelling organ-ic drones with subtle accents make up Growth, and Development delves into more hyperactive sequencing with moody undertones; analog synthmusic fans should quite enjoy this outing. The meandering and introspective Waves of Time roll in for almost 22 minutes... a lonesome, windswept, flute-flavored drone becomes a cyclic synth pattern visited upon by a chanting voice. This phase is suddenly displaced by a howling sonic void, which is replaced by pattering tribal drumming and soft electronics. Gamelan influence is apparent in the overriding patterns which emerge, snakily weaving and clanging, shifting pitch and tempo... definitely a place worth revisiting, featuring guest musicians, Steve Roach and Richard Burmer. (See this month's interview with the artist to learn more.) Loren Nerell: Book of Alchemy   (1989) (8.1) Exotic instruments, assorted ceremonial chants and samples imbue The World Spirit with an air of "world"liness; synthesizers, electric guitars and beats reveal the track to be a less-bombastic precursor to Paul Haslinger's World Without Rules (on which Loren was a guest musician). Engineered by Loren and Steve Roach, The Crucible (14:35) is a cinematically unfolding vista which passes through several stages of development, some more atmospheric, others more musical. Amidst a mutedly sweltering din, female vocal trickles waft through like a cooling breeze in Essence. Bells, gongs and shakers accent Iron Filings (or Fillings, depending on where you get your information); more forceful ethnic percussion and flutes become the focus. Cinnebar is formed by spooky synth and beats. Softer scenes are found in the gentle electronic drifts of Burned Alum. Various Artists: Distributed Shared Memory   (Mindspore) (7.9) A noteworthy gathering of assorted ambient musicians explore their Distributed Shared Memory by way of musically abstract sound; Taylor Deupree, as Human Mesh Dance, offers a look into his Rotating Mirror, a light blend of slight beats and mutating background textures. King Chubby's Qedeshim is darker, an ominous venture into a radiating haze with sparse Middle Eastern touches. Slow and Low II by Tetsu Inoue, a hushed atmosphere visited upon by softly echoing bells and faint electronics is the probably the most truly ambient piece, though Evaskaline by The Time Merchant could vie for that title, evolving into an expansive 12-minute trek to a more musical destination. Impressive sounds from a previously unheard voice. With a bout of radiant electric noise, Terre Thaemlitz is among the other contributors, including Thomas Lawrence and The Mobeus. The surprise track would be Polly Moller's completely unrecognizable version of U2's Bullet the Blue Sky. Various Artists: Enter the Monkey   (Mad Monkey Records - 1999) (7.4) The differing sounds of the electronic musicians contributing to Enter the Monkey really put the "various" into Various Artists; this comp from Mad Monkey Records mainly resides in a hyperbeat-driven world of grungy electronics, though a few pieces are less agressive and/or more musical. Opening track Belle Tolls by Jeffrey Lent is soft, lush, peaceful and thoroughly unindicative of things to come. Noisier things happens when Kid606 and SCSI Bear declare Let's NOT get this Party Started, and buzzy electronics radiate through assorted ringing and thumping effects, including rapid fire salvos of drumbeats. My favorites include: Lesser's track, Sinew (7:49) which features a good blend of noisy static eruptions, beats and often musical synth flow; or Snug by Heatsink, a nicely moody occurrence of electronic pops and crackles over a naturally rhythmic interference pattern; Squeept (2:15) by Neutral is a brief dip into a beautiful, soft chaos. With 16 tracks, there's bound to be something that will appeal to most everyone, but a taste for babbling electronic distortions and spastic rhythms wouldn't hurt. Send an e-mail to Mad Monkey Records to learn more about this widre-ranging assemblage of ear-opening new sounds. Vidna Obmana/Asmus Tietchens: Syrenia 2   (Syrenia - 1992) (8.6) Vidna Obmana laid down the original material, Asmus Tietchens re-processed it yielding 5 tracks ranging from 8:28 to 11:45. (Witness their more recent role-reversal in their newest collab, Motives for Recycling.) The slurred organ bursts of vot 2 sound rather like the dying gasps of a circus calliope. A somber grey gem of sonic surrealism, vot 1 features a low, rhythmic looping overlain with twisted keyboard strands. The simmering, surging power source of vot 3 will be familiar to those who own the Sombient Storm of Drones comp. Solemn bells tolling through a swirling electronic fogbank add a gothic touch to vanishing habitat. Decidedly esoteric listening and definitely recommended as such. Posted May 26, 1999 | 1999 Overviews Index

AmbiEntrance © 1999-97 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).