30th April, 2011
Firstly known under his Augur project focusing on more experimental sound, but since 2003 exploring deeper ambient soundworlds under his name. Since then Steve Brand’s discography features around 15 releases for various labels like Afe, Hypnos Secret Sounds, AtmoWorks, Relaxed Machinery, including few self-releases. “Coniunctio” is already Steve’s second release for ambitious Relaxed Machinery label, while his previous album “Circular Scriptures” marked the premiere release of this label in January of 2010. 2 CDrs, 2 long form pieces, but don’t expect some kind of minimal and static background meditative audio landscape. On the contrary, Steve enters here with more lively and evolving, but quite monumental and expansive atmospheric soundwalls. 61 minutes long “Pale Blue Orb” unfolds with deep space sounds featuring heavenly choirs. Peacefully floating and absorbing washes are cascading through various deeper and thicker droning spaces, later enriched by sharper bell outbursts, this is orchestral and ethereal ambient elixir!!! “The Beginning Of Days”, clocking to almost 73 minutes, is less spacey, more earthy and natural flowing, but still quite mysterious. Begins again with choirs in sky high regions, but soon the flute whistle takes us back to the Mother Earth. Deeper and magnificently huge drifting and culminating passages are presented with all their beauty and graciousness. Just close your eyes and slip into this captivating, mesmerizing and powerful Earthsong!!! “Coniunctio” is definitely one of the most remarkable sonic statements of this Kansas based sound sculptor, Reiki Master and visual artist. One more note, by the time I am writing these lines, a new “Avatara” CD by Steve Brand is being released on Hypnos, so watch out for this potential and creative guy!!!
– Review by Richard Gürtler (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Source – http://relaxedmachinery.ning.com/profiles/blogs/my-review-on-coniunctio-2xcdr