Not exactly “ambient”, but definitely “Cinema for the Ear” as the composer himself calls it. And indeed: the carefully orchestrated samples and sound fragments seem to tell a story without images. A beautiful tension is created in a dialogue between the electronic soundscape and the piano improvisations.
The Bersarin Quartett is a bit hard to classify. If a subgenre called ‘lounge ambient’ (not to be shortcutted to ‘lambient’, please) existed, the Bersarin Quartett would be one of the first to fit in. Or maybe even define it.
The Bersarin Quartett is not a quartet at all, as you might’ve expected: it’s just “Thomas”. Thomas “Bersarin’s” music can best be described floating somewhere between Biosphere’s ‘Shenzou’ and Cinematic Orchestra without vocals.
‘Cinematic’ this sure is: string orchestra samples are used to full effect. It’s a widescreen soundtrack to non-existent films.
And it’s full of mixed emotions….
100 Fragments is a re-release of Ikeda’s 1995 debut. Originally released on his own CCI recordings label, this album inspired the Raster-Noton founders, who proudly present this rerelease on their own label.
There are two sides to this album, or maybe even three…
“This Quiet Season” is aptly titled for a release on Slaapwel Records (Sleep Well). Slaapwel is a small DIY label from Belgium that focuses on ‘music to fall asleep to’ and releases it in limited amounts (because the packages are handmade).
While the releases on this label all have a recognizable package format, each release gets a handmade cover that perfectly fits the musical content.
Jasper TX (named after a city located in Texas) is also knows as Dag Rosenqvist from Sweden. Apart from earlier releases under this name, he also released titles together with Rutger Zuyderveld (Machinefabriek) such as Vintermusik and Feberdröm.
I can’t remember how I found the Resting Bell netlabel website – must have been on someone else’s weblog. The website layout looked promising enough, so I downloaded some of the albums available.
Starting, of course, with the latest release: Entia Non’s Sub routine.
The quality of the music of this album is impressive. Created by Australian artist James McDougall, it bears many references yet still maintains a completely personal sound.
It’s Entia Non’s first release on Resting Bell, after releasing other titles on U-Cover and Test Tube.
Wouter van Veldhoven ‘s Ruststukken is recently released on the new Belgian label ‘Slaapwel’.
Slaapwel means Sleep well.; Label owner Wim Maesschalck tells us:
“I set out, looking for people that would be good at making mind-soothing songs. I ask them to write a sleep-inducing record, I listen to it, and when I fail to reach the end because I fell asleep, I release it as a musical record with whatever means are available to me.”
Well that’s a heart-warming concept to me!
Bloom. Huge. Allure. The Explanation. The Discussion. An Answer.
This is quite a special case (literally!).
Carefully scheduled in the last three years, Fovea Hex released three EP’s, each containing three songs, with a bonus cd containing remixes/reworks by The Hafler Trio (H30) for every initial release.
Concluding this series, in 2007, a beautiful box is released (as could be expected) containing all 3 EP’s and, if you want it all, also including the bonus cd’s.
4AD will re-release Jóhann Jóhannssen’s “Englabörn” in November. Perfectly timed, since the opening track Odi et Amo, which is “sung” by a computer, links seamlessly with the equally beautiful 2006 release “IBM1401 – A User’s manual”.
There have been quite a few mediocre (‘fans only’) releases by Brian Eno in the last couple of years. The 2004 collaboration with Robert Fripp was a remarkable exception, and so is their collaboration sketches overview “Beyond Even (1996 – 2006)”.
I call this a ‘sketches overview’ because it feels like that: a collection of works that sound like good yet unfinished ideas. Which does not mean they sound like second hand outtakes that should not have been released. Most of these tracks are very beautiful indeed, and do deserve a life on their own. However some of this tracks still feel a bit outdated, even a bit mushy sometimes.
