Review: Current scene favourite Nils Frahm teamed up with Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Olafur Arnalds on three breath taking excursions through lush ambient textures on "Stare" as a surprise release back in 2012 for label founder Robert Rath. "A1" features Frahm's entrancing irresistible melody over some gorgeous all-consuming strings and glacial soundscapes courtesy of Arnalds. "A2" with its heavenly, transcendental beauty has just got to be heard while "B1" explores darker territory with its excavating soundscapes accompanying the most hauntingly delicate cello notes. Exquisite!
Review: The work of 1990s German electronic group Neural Network is titularly apt for the times. The mood around public-facing AI like ChatGPT and DALL-E has aroused much anxiety and curiosity of late, and they're only the tip of the iceberg. Surprisingly enough for new listeners, though, they'll find that the work of Neural Network - renowned for their contemporaneity with the likes of Biosphere and Autechre - is serene compared to the current mood of AI furore. These 'Excerpts' highlight the bulk of their work made between 1993-1995, which, unlike their former albums, didn't gain label / distributor traction at the time.
Review: 1990s electronica duo Neural Network - renowned for their contemporaneity with the likes of Biosphere and Autechre - are currently seeing a large reissues campaign at the label Re:discovery. These 'Excerpts' highlight the bulk of their work made from 1993-1997, which, unlike their albums, didn't gain label / distributor traction at the time. This EP focuses on the lattermost year, compiling four wobbly, bubbly, depth-plunging and serene cuts - all with 808s or 808-ish snares mired in serendipitous pads - into a neat EP.
Review: Nitechord is an anonymous "ambient-tech duo" that impresses with this fine debut, Lume, which is a meditative exploration of the calmness and mystery of the night as distilled through mid-tempo rhythms and atmospheric whispers. These sounds were first submitted as a raw, uncredited cassette demo in 2002 and have hardly been changed from that state but for the mastering. Tracks like 'Reflect' and 'Near' blend shimmering guitar loops, sub-bass and subtle twangs over dancefloor beats. 'Dim' breathes with layered drones, while 'Absent' offers mournful serenity and last but not least, 'Carry' blossoms into orchestral harmony. A sublime soundscape.
Review: The young but auspicious Amplify label is back with a four fearsome techno EP. Normal Stage is at the buttons and heads out on a warm and dreamy dub techno vibe that soon soothes your soul. 'FV2' is another eight-minute plus dub excursion that quickens the pace but is no less smooth and supple, while 'FV3' brings some airy and organic melodies up top that drift about with a curious charm. 'FV4' shuts down with the most masterfully empty dub of the lot - a wide open space in which to lose yourself and all your woes.
Review: Cult experimental outfit Nurse With Wound has had their Alas The Madonna Does Not Functiion 12" cut to picture disc for this special reissue. It has also been beautifully remastered by Andrew Liles and is one father band's more rhythmic and musical offerings. It joins the dots between their earlier and second phase work and sounds as good now as it did over 30 years ago. This one-off pressing comes in a lovely die-cut sleeve with Babs Santini artwork to make it an extra special collector's edition.
Review: Eternal ambient maestro and frequent collaborator Jonny Nash links up with renowned Tarawangsa player Teguh Permana for this new album which was recorded over the course of March 2020 in Bandung and Amsterdam. Tarawangsa is sacred music from Sunda, Indonesia and lends this album a truly lush meditative feel, with heart aching notes ringing out over Nash's plaintive piano chords. It's sparse but devastatingly absorbing as the five fantastic tracks all bring to mind thoughts of death, passage from one life to another, the changing seasons and eternal passage of time.
Review: Australian minimalist-jazz trio The Necks return with a powerful exploration of stillness and decay in the for of their new album, Bleed. The record features one lone 42-minute composition in which the band masterfully delves into the beauty of space and subtle transformation. Through their unique blend of minimalist jazz, The Necks continue to craft a distinct sound that shows subtle evolution and makes for another striking chapter to their extensive body of work. Bleed is all about giving over to the meditative journey where every note and pause evokes the profound complexity of time and impermanence, all while showcasing the trio's remarkable ability to evoke plenty of very real emotion despite the minimal nature of their evocative sounds.
Review: This expansive 2CD collection from Nurse With Wound compiles a range of experimental works from 2008-2011, offering a glimpse into their cut-and-paste sonic universe. Opening with the jarring 'Cruisin' For A Bruisin'', the set quickly plunges into a diverse array of sound, blending drones, rhythms and odd vocal samples. The first disc is split into 'The Bacteria Magnet' and 'Rushkoff Coercion', while the second features 'Erroneous, A Selection of Errors,' likely showcasing unreleased material. The music constantly shifts, moving from chaotic big band absurdity to African-inspired polyrhythms, cold techno and smoky ambient passagesiall within moments. Though the collection lacks a unifying theme, its disorienting patchwork of textures offers plenty of intriguing moments. As with any NWW release, it's difficult to categorise, but it's a skilful, unpredictable exploration of sound that keeps listeners engaged despite its ever-changing nature.
Review: In 2003, the kind of profound minimalism Colin Potter and Steven Stapleton presented on Salt Marie Celeste came with a disclaimer for those who preferred the maximalist side of Nurse With Wound. In these ambient abundant times, it feels like everyone's ready for the deep listen and attendant calm an album such as this demands. Revolving around two low, tumultuous chords undulating like waves and the barest of flotsam and jetsam on top, this is an intense hour exploring the haunting power of repetition and sparseness. It's also incredible, but then there's no surprise there, given the stature of the Nurse With Wound canon. If you were already a believer, then herald the bonus disc of additional droning magnificence and the gorgeous new artwork from Babs Santini.
Review: Carefully remastered by Andrew Liles, Nurse With Wound's Cooloorta Moon/Brained By Falling Masonry arrives on a unique picture disc with a die-cut sleeve and might be some of the most definitive sounds the cult outfit ever recorded. They are certainly ever-green favourites with fans and now appear for the first time on one album. These two EPs ushered in something of a stylistic shift for the Nurse - Brained came in 1984 with relentlessly churning sounds and the eccentric mania of JG Thirlwell's vocals. Cooloorta Moon from 1989 is more whimsical, a freely creative work that used more traditional instruments.
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