Drone On Review – Scáth M’anam by I’ve Lost

6th June 2012

Armed with just an electric guitar and effects, and some choice field recordings placed here and there, Bobby Jones (aka I’ve Lost) has crafted an exquisitely beautiful release for Relaxed Machinery.  “Sc’ath M’anam,” released in 2011, comes in a slimline jewelcase with some enigmatic artwork (thanks to Hypnos who produce the physical product–it’s also available as a download of course).  The scant liner notes include just the track titles and a “thank you” list, but no mention of Mr. Jones or his equipment list.  The music is quiet, minimal, very melancholy bordering on gloomy, highly atmospheric, and extremely personal and emotional.  This intimate nature almost feels like you’re eavesdropping on someone’s personal thoughts.  The album is divided into just two tracks.  71-minute “I Wish I Could Fly” goes through eight distinct movements, and varies from abstract, stratospheric soundscapes to more recognizable (but still heavily effected) guitar notes and chords.  Anyone who has appreciated masters of the electric guitar like Fripp, Guthrie, Pearce, Saiz, etc. will find much to their liking here.  My only complaint about this piece is that it should have had index points for the eight movements.  The final track, the appropriately titled “Ghosts on the Wind” (and I say appropriately titled because the whole album has what I would describe as a ghostly quality), consists of heavily reverberated, echoed plucked notes, with a quite meditative, reflective, and uplifting quality, like a beautiful lullabye.  This is an amazing album, and definitely one of the best, if not the best, release I have heard from Relaxed Machinery!!!

Source – http://www.hypnos.com/smf/index.php?topic=5063.0