SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2010
Relaxing with the Machinery
*edit/update* My apologies, I’ve been informed that the title of Steve Brand’s latest release is actually “Coniunctio” which my spell check seemed not to like. I’ve since had words with my spell check and corrected below. Sorry about that Steve! Also, it was suggested that some of you might actually want to buy the music I’m talking about, so I’ve updated with links if you’d like to pursue them further. I can assure you that all of them are well worth checking out! *edit/update*
If you’ve been reading the ping things blog or twitter feed you’ve probably seen more than a few mentions of John Koch-Northrup’s Relaxed Machinery label and community. I’ve been really impressed with both the label ideal and the great music I’ve heard so far (check out my earlier review for Steve Brand’s “Circular Scriptures”), so it should come as no surprise that it’s fast become one of my favorite places to discover new music. With that in mind, I’ve spent some time over the last few days listening to a few of the new releases from the label, and I heartily endorse the following three albums as excellent music that’s well worth further investigation.
Long form ambience is really hard to do well, but Steve Brand excels at it. On “Coniunctio”, Steve delivers an expansive work made up of two long form pieces, each clocking in at over an hour in length. Featuring both light and dark ambience, “Coniunctio” is a beautiful work that floats through a variety of locales and spaces in a seamless fashion, subtly moving the listener from one place to another in a slow and dreamlike way. First track “Pale Blue Orb” has a particular expansiveness about it, ranging from quiet speculative segments to more expressive sections where tones layer and drift around each other in a rich, deep swath of sound. The second piece, “The Beginning of Days”, has a particularly organic feel about it, the whistle of flutes and wind instruments paired with steady drones running through the track. As he has on previous releases, Brand has created a haunted feeling that plays throughout “Coniunctio”, a sense of otherworldly mysticism that suggests mysteries and lost lands, secrets and enigmas. Together the two pieces complement each other well to create a journey through beautiful soundscapes that are sure to entice and delight the listener. Another fine album from a very talented artist!
On “Elevated”, Bob Ohrum does a great job of blending deep drones with some nice field recordings and subtle melodies to create a set of very impressive soundscapes. Ohrum has a particularly strong talent for bringing together sounds that results in a very engaging listening experience. The sounds of birds twittering here, a resonant drone there, a quiet buzzing tone and a minimal melodic phrase added for extra depth, it’s all very effective and carefully considered, and the end result is a lush and beautiful set of music that I quite enjoy. There’s an attention to the details of sounds here, their placement and how they work together, as well as how they evolve over time. Title track “Elevated” particularly captures the essence of Ohrum’s work, a long form track that opens with a pair of steady drones playing around each other, slowly tapering in volume and shifting through a slow tonal shift. As the track progresses other sounds come to the fore, presenting some inspired progressions and some beautiful musical discoveries that I quite liked.
A wonderful collection of music that I’ve been thoroughly enjoying.
On “Frozen”, Chris Russell uses minimal structures and tones that allow for a purity of content and a strong sense of direction that, in my mind at least, lends itself to a much more active listen. With “Frozen” I found myself a little more engaged than I normally am with other recordings, putting a little more effort into the listening process and finding myself getting lost in its depths. Throughout the album tonal movement happens in slow gradual shifts, a considered and deliberate approach that shows a real attention to detail and an appreciation for the sonic journey at hand. Opener “Aurora” stands out in my mind as an exceptional example of Russell’s work, a warm and inviting drone drawing the listener into the track and surrounding them with creamy rich textures that ebb and flow throughout it’s length. On other tracks, Russell captures the cold and isolation of the arctic perfectly, drifting winds and quiet drones working together to create a sonic landscape that chills my bones. A really strong collection of locational ambience that I’m very impressed by.
My sincerest compliments to all the artists involved with the making of these three awesome releases, and a special thank you to John Koch-Northrup for his work in creating such an impressive label. I foresee a very bright future for Relaxed Machinery in the years to come, and I very much look forward to hearing what they do next!
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No problem on the title. If I remember right, it’s Latin. I anticipated it might be sort of tricky, but it’s what the name HAD to be. Thanks again for the careful listen and review.
Relaxed Machinery News: Reviews of Albums by Steve, Chris, and Bob [ @PingThings ] http://bit.ly/gaaA7b