Posts Tagged Ambient
Archive
May 4, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Hammock: Universalis
Hammock Universalis Hammock Music Well into their second decade, ambient guitar duo Hammock (Andrew Thompson and Marc Byrd) can subtly surprise with a gorgeous string arrangement (Scattering Light) or play the Eno card so well (Mouth To Dust…Waiting) that it’s almost a given their albums will be great. Consistent, dependable. They make safe-places for ambient music fans […]Archive
April 14, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Laurel Halo: Raw Silk Uncut Wood
Laurel Halo Raw Silk Uncut Wood Latency Recordings Berlin-based, American-born sound-artist and composer Laurel Halo loves skitterish percussion, tinkering pianos and strident textures. She loves jazz settings – and then totally fucking with them, and she creates the best movie soundtracks for non-existent movies. All of that is on display here on Raw Silk Uncut Wood – but overall this is her most […]Archive
March 27, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Vangelis: Nocturne – The Piano Album
Vangelis Nocturne: The Piano Album Decca The best textural work in music springs from – or works in support of – great melodies. Greek composer Vangelis has been at the forefront of great textural synth work with his incredible soundtracks (Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire, 1492: Conquest of Paradise) and non-soundtrack work too. But for every indelible melody – and we need […]Archive
August 19, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Tom Rogerson with Brian Eno: Finding Shore
Tom Rogerson with Brian Eno Finding Shore Dead Oceans Tom Rogerson is from the British experimental rock trio Three Trapped Tigers. Where, in that context he was vocalist and keyboardist here he submits his piano offerings – with some synths and electronic ideas – to ambient-music’s overlord Brian Eno. It’s collaboration in that Mercurical Eno […]Archive
July 31, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Roger Eno: Dust of Stars
Roger Eno Dust of Stars Painted World Music Roger Eno – the Mike McGear of Ambient Music? The Pat McEnroe of line calls? It’s a churlish chap that mocks this master pianist, I reckon. He’s not only been involved in some of his brother’s great recordings, he has made plenty of his own. Laugh if […]Archive
June 22, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Venetian Snares/Daniel Lanois: Venetian Snares x Daniel Lanois
Venetian Snares/Daniel Lanois Venetian Snares x Daniel Lanois Timesig/Planet Mu This surprise collaboration features two Canadian wunderkind musicians that push and pull in very different directions. It might be a head-scratch (or indeed a head-fuck) for many, particularly if you are arriving at this as a Lanois fan unaware of Venetian Snares. But there’s gold […]Archive
June 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: Convalescence
Brian Eno listening to a harp album convalescing. He can barely lift a finger. the taxi-cab banged him up pretty good – or pretty bad – depends how you look at it. the album of harp music on in the background. the rain takes over – or it provides further soundtrack – depends how you […]Archive
June 8, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 401
Moby, Play (1999) Look, I’m not sure when this album by Moby drove me mad, exactly – or as close as I got to it – but tripping balls, wearing a sarong, stirring a pot full of different leftover spirits and liqueurs with South Side blasting out as if a new religion…yeah, that was a […]Archive
April 28, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 55: Tangerine Dream – “Phaedra”
I had never really listened to Tangerine Dream and I don’t know why. I mean, beyond the fact that there’s nearly 200 albums across 50 years or whatever; hard to know where to start. Well, get this, I started, just recently, with a movie soundtrack from the 1980s – a completely random thing, just some […]Archive
March 18, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Alan Brown: Composure
Alan Brown Composure (Independent/alanbrown.co.nz) Auckland-based composer and musician Alan Brown has been part of various scenes including some jazz/fusion/funk and now solo/ambient. In 2014 he recorded a three-hour session of solo piano – just him and a Steinway in the Concert Chamber of the Auckland Town Hall. He added some synths, some very subtle treatments, […]Archive
March 11, 2018 by Simon Sweetman