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 | Vidna Obmana:Crossing the Trail (Projekt - 1998) The cover art* of Crossing the Trail is an excellent parallel to the music found inside... organic, hypnotic and nearly unfathomable in its strange beauty. * (Photography by Martine Verhoeven, a.k.a. Mrs. Vidna Obmana). |
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Of his newest solo venture, Vidna Obmana said (in his Exclusive AmbiEntrance Interview), "The urge of returning to my intimate and very subtle and minimal approach was so overwhelming, it became a necessity to compose this album."
"Intimate", "subtle" and "minimal" are all very applicable here, not that the average Vidna Obmana release is in any way bombastic. Similar to, yet different from, his previous works, Crossing the Trail does seem somehow more streamlined , even smoother than before, and as gorgeous as ever. The slooow-fade-in-from-silence technique reveals Encountering terrain, in which shifting layers of synth are carried on a mid-tempo, somewhat tribal rhythm. Odd accents come in the form of little splashy/crunchy sounds, giving the piece a very "lived-in" feel, like something else is here. Steve Roach is credited for for the "electron groove creation and harmonic wave" at the heart of Trail dwelling. The piece also contains those hard-to-place watery/clattery effects that add a pleasantly alien touch. When the beat fades away, distant, haunting flute-like warblings are revealed. A slowly stuttering beat of drum and cymbal blend with a resonant background texture which reminds me of a muted bagpipe (tho I'm sure it isn't). It's Forest arrow, pointing the way further into this excursion. Higher pitched progressions and hidden whispers swirl in the air. The beat drops out while the waves continue to slowly swirl, accompanied by quiet insectoid rustlings. All fades into... the welling soundwaves which become Mission ground. Its initially beatless layers are eventually tattooed with a fairly driving, yet soft, set of rhythms. Flute- and brass-like wails come and go in extended sweeps and shorter snippets. The percussion fades, while the "wind" instruments continue in the void left behind. The short-runner at 7:51, The esoteric source shimmers beatlessly. The atmosphere, decorated with Martine's highly processed vocal chant, is imbued with a fizzy effervesence. Very meditative, the rising/falling effect is almost an exercise in musical deep breathing. The giant travelleris propelled by a quietly primitive percussion section. This track is even more subdued than its predecessors, its gently flowing stream sounding like various instruments morphed into one. It segues into... This spendid place, to which Jeff Pearce has contributed guitar and electronic loops as source material. This piece seems more symphonic, growing with the power of a rising sun. Slow pulses build (over its 14-minute-plus course) in a long sustain, reminiscent of an orchestra tuning up. A powerful closing to a beautiful collection of electronic ambience. |
| If you (as I confess I do) already know and love the work of Vidna Obmana, then you'll love this too. If you're not familiar with these sounds, then here's an excellent place to hear what you've been missing. Both thumbs up! Crossing the Trail makes for a truly captivating journey. |  |
| If you haven't already, it's time to check out the official Vidna Obmana website. |
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