Vidna Obmana: landscape in obscurity Vidna Obmana: landscape in obscurity (Hypnos - 1999) While the recognizable strains of flute and saxophone may waft through Vidna Obmana's misty electronics, the overall sound still undeniably belongs to the ambient Belgian. A single 68.5-minute piece, landscape in obscurity bears an appropriate enough title; as with most of Obmana's works, there seems to be a very organic flow, and this landscape is indeed obscured by misty musical cloudbanks. For the first 15 minutes of landscape in obscurity, the listener may bask in the warm rising vapors of Vidna Obmana's etheral synth flow, with no beats or textural embellishments of any sort. Smooth, lush layers intertwine in a pace that could only be described as reeeelaxed. Eventually Capriolo Trifoglio's distant flute meanderings become discernable; shorter, faster notes zip in and out of VO's atmospheric haze, though they seem to be coming from a hundred yards away. Similarly, Diego Borotti's sax runs are shadowed in a murky drift, but add a distinct counter-movement to Obmana's sweltering synthwaves. Sometimes heard are a few Obmana's signature sound effects - subtle drips and clicks which heighten the living landscape. But mostly what is heard are the processed and looped intermingling of synth, sax and flute. Like some strange and wonderful confluence of natural forces, all elements seems to continually flow forth as if from a musical geyser, its dissipating plume occasionally ruffled by a warm, gentle breeze. (Oh, and the flickering lights of the aurora borealis are dancing overhead, too!). Vidna Obmana refers to landscape in obscurity as a "jazzy fusion", which comparatively it is perhaps, but trust me, you won't be mistaking this for any jazz you've heard before. While I confess to being a bigger fan of his more textural, rhythmic, tribal works, landscape in obscurity garners a solid 8.1 for its bountiful fountain of unearthly delights. Chalk up another winner for the Hypnos label. This review posted March 25, 1999 AmbiEntrance © 1999-97 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).