- Alpha Wave Movement: Transcendence (Harmonic Resonance - 1996)
- Perhaps not as energetic as the newest AWM release (Concept of Motion), but still a very nicely constructed bit of electronic music. Gregory Kyryluk uss digital and analog synths to create a range of beautiful waveforms. Artifacts and Prophecies and Gateway are journeys into celestial realms, and the spontaneously composed Veil of the Twilight Moon reminds me of an early-Steve-Roach synth-trip. See this month's Alpha Wave Movement interview for more info...
- Stephen Bacchus: Ambient Origins (Mirage - 1998)
- These pieces were originally recorded in the mid-'80s, and re-released as part of Mirage's Time Capsule Series. Expect long, flowing strands of analog synthsounds with very litte additional instrumentation. The liner notes call it "evocative of cavernous underground warehouses and abandoned munitions factories", so I was anticipating dreary isolation and felt slightly cheated by the fact that it all seems quite serene. From the Ashes comes the closest to the auditory grey area I was seeking, and it's a new "bonus track" fashioned from samples of earlier works. If you're in the market for ambient/electronics from the '80s, though, this is a fine example of gentle synth meditations.
- Brian Eno: Ambient 1; Music For Airports (EG Records - 1978)
- Twenty years ago, one of ambient's founding fathers set forth on this landmark venture. The sounds within could definitely be described as timeless, though 1/1 surprised me by being overtly "musical". 2/1 features layers of an inhumanly smooth choir, shifting and drifting with no other accompaniment. 1/2 is my own favorite, a gorgeous mix of slow, sparse piano notes awash in choral tides. 2/2 is another with relatively straightforward instrument sounds, though the arrangement is liquid enough; brassy tones melt and meld in a rich, golden flow. If you want to get in touch with some of the roots, this is a fine bit of modern history that will bear relevance in the future as well.
- Dino Pacifici: The Journey (Dance Plant - 1997)
- From Canada, this one's a blend of smooth electronic ambience, mid-tempo beats and occasional new-agey leads. The first two tracks are particularly stricken with some overt instrumental leads; if you're not bothered by that sort of thing, then you should admire the nicely done production. The latter tracks touch more ambient territories with billowy, cloud-like ambience and/or spacier pieces (Cirrostratus, Submergence) as well as tribally-influenced sounds (Rainforest Rhapsody). Learn more by clicking on over to Dino's website.
- Totemplow: Applaud the Execution (Manifold - 1996)
- An excellent foray into guitar-fueled ambience. Ominous and atmospheric, tracks range from the windy and slightly beaty title track, to the hazy 15.5-minute drone of raga, to the softly swirling murk of death valley. For the most part the guitar sounds are manipulated to an abstract haze, though a lovely acoustic/electric duet opens terminate. Quite nice!
- Tuu: Mesh (Fathom - 1997)
- Whereas the more recent Terma was rooted in an earthy, dark sound, Mesh seems to belong in a more airy region, though these skys are not exactly clear and sunny. Martin Franklin, Mykl O'Dempsey and Nick Parkin blend ancient instruments (water drums, bells, gongs, clay pots and ney flutes) with modern electronics to form a strange new world somewhere in between... as demonstrated by the awe-inspiring opener, Crack Between the Worlds. Very atmospheric stuff. Founder Martin Franklin speaks with us in an exclusive AmbiEntrance interview.
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