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 | Viridian Sun:Solar Noise (Hypnos - 1997) Distillation is a process which yields the most potent result; Solar Noise then, having been condensed from more than 7 hours of live, exploratory musical improvisation between Mike Griffin's electronics and David Tollefson's treated guitar, is a 100 proof blend of deep celestial ambience. |
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But this was no ordinary jam session either... the synths and guitar are very heavily processed. You'll only occasionally hear an indentifiable "keyboard" or "guitar" sound. What you most often hear is the sonic equivalent of the swirling vapors of some fantastic otherworld. This Solar Noise emanates from a dark and mysterious star.
The intoxicating atmospheres begin with solan solar n sol; like the other tracks, the piece is a long, beatless interlude in another realm of sound. Haunting and calming in turns, the track covers much alien terrain. Deep swells intermingle with insectoid chatter, echoes ring across space, mutated plinks twirl in circuitous arpeggios, a momentary lull is shattered by a whirling interjection of sound, until all fades. A quiet electronic rumble erupts into a churning chaos, then smooths into something wonderfully nocturnal. The varied sounds which resonate throughout voxuua soexis are strangely familiar, yet truly unknown; at times the drone is machine-like, other passages are more organic. This dark beauty is the CD's short runner (7:59). serere rolls in like a fog, but once you're inside strange things happen... echoing plucks, splashing waves of electrons, oscillating frequencies and, always, the continual ebb and flow of night. nervous eclipse begins its 20.5-minute existence with the hollow roar of void, punctuated by occasional mechanical sounds. Eerily animalistic calls begin to slip in from the distance, adding an uneasy edge to the scene. Almost cinematic in nature, the slowly unfolding nuances and percolating emptiness make this track a favorite of mine. The disc closes on a note of relative serenity. Smoother than, and not quite as ominous as some previous cuts, radiat takes an even more minimal approach. This sector of space seems less threatening, but is still a pleasantly somber place to spend some time. |
| Very nicely done, Viridian Sun's atmospheric soundwaves are interesting assemblage of space-ambience. The subtly shifting darkness creates a deep celestial immersion in your own living area. I'm giving a big Thumb Up for Solar Noise . For more information, and other artists, visit the Hypnos Recordings website. |  |
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