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 | Various Artists:The Other World (Hypnos - 1998) In some dream, M. Griffin swept his net across the ambient nightskies, and gathered an assortment of variously shining stars. He asked the stars to convey their wisdom... to tell us in their own ways about that Other World beyond daily human perception. Their answers are chronicled here on two wonderfully spacey CDs. |
| A crossing of interests in ambience and meditation brought Griffin to the conception of a CD wherein artists would express musical thoughts on a singular notion. "The compilation was planned around a theme, because I wanted all the tracks to be unified in some sense, while still reflecting the sensibilities of the individual artists," Griffin says.
And there are many contributors... 19 ambient artists of varying degrees of renown fill two CDs with tracks ranging from 4:38 to 9:57 in length (averaging approx. 7.20, if you really want to know). The sheer number of tracks prevents me from going into full detail, but every track brings its own little aura. Most are transcendental in a percussionless, deep-space mode, as opposed to a collective tantric "om". Disc One begins with Vidna Obmana's presentation of approaching the glaze, which features hazy layers of floating sound, and subtle, shuffling accents. Slow bell tones, synth and windshifts form rhyolite by Ruben Garcia & A Produce. A slow stellar drift is decorated with sweeping synth strings and sparse bass notes in Thomas Ronkin's the gates of sleep. Saul Stokes lets fly with (never ending) halogen sparrows, an undeniably electronic atmosphere marked by a repetitive "riff" that could have come from a 1960's sci-fi movie. A Produce appears again with midnight pond which echoes and riples accordingly. A low pressure front moves in with humid; artist Jeff Greinke's weather-muse is evident in this palpably vaporous air. It's evident where Ron Boots is heading with among the stars, another spaceflight, this one seeming to pass through some angels' realm judging from the heavenly swells that billow here. M. Griffin doesn't simply act as ambient collector, he creates as well, bringing dyslerium to this nocturnal vigil. Griffin's track pulsates and rings, conjuring visions of celestial mists and whatever moves within. Beautiful in its starkness, David Tollefson's work exqoor (illusive mix) features the low rumbling and static haze of processed guitar noise. Further low frequency sounds loom behind sweep by Egghatcher, while other electronics frolic in its foreground, forming a bit of a tune even, before disorganizing again. Disc Two opens with the long, monochromatic tones (instantly recognizable if you're familiar with his work) of Larry Kucharz performing 1976 #5a. Meg Bowles delivers adrift in the arms of morpheus, a gorgeously expressive piece with various movements. Exit's sleep 1 (lucid mix) brings a distinct sense of travel through some realm of night. Very nicely done. Alpha Wave Movement contributes subterranean (unknown depth mix), another immersive interstellar excursion which rings with the void of some great distance, yet shimmers with nearby sweeps of unknowable intensity. Resonating in a sea of night, curvature, by Robert Scott Thompson, rises and falls on symphonic swells. Shining with a light of its own, Viridian Sun (the duo known individually as M. Griffin and David Tollefson) covers the listener with a soothing, electric blanket of sound with interia sol. A peaceful, sonic ebb and flow highlight the sacred descent by Jeff Pearce, as soft washes of processed guitar drift back and forth. Katsuya Hironaka exports his electronics from Japan in the form of entrance; delicate swirling waves of synth are accentuated by the recurring appearance of a deeper entity. Richard Bone closes the collection with via mycropia. Quite musical, with a deeper synth rhythm overlain by piano and other keyboards. You don't have to be "into" meditation per se to enjoy this collection. As long as you're up for some smooth electronic spaciness from a wide range of accomplished artists, this compilation is definitely recommended. |
| The Other World is top-rate in concept, scope and execution. I'm giving it Both Up for overall ambient achievement. Vist Hypnos Recordings for more inside information. |  |
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