ambient / experimental

It's Sunday afternoon. The sun is shining, keeping my coffee warm. My muscles ache from three days of heavy duty. I have just finished writing a review for a heavy doom metal album. For now, I'm done with the harsh areas in the world of music. I need something else.

My inbox guides me to Omrr, the stage name of Omar El Abd, a self-taught musician, guitarist and sound artist based in Cairo, Egypt. His new album is a pearl, so gentle, so calm. It is exactly what I needed today.

Although it contains the simplicity and the calm atmosphere of ambient music, the track on this album are more than that. With electronics, microsounds, field recordings and elements from glitch and modern classical music, Omrr creates instrumental songs with a minimal yet immersive approach. 'Illicit' might be the most traditional ambient resembling song on 'Devils For My Darling' but this too contains something extra, like an own identity.

Throughout the album I can hear influences from acts like Laraaji, Brian Eno, Biosphere but also hints of Autechre and Aphex Twin, along with classical piano. Yet, most of all, I can hear a self-taught musician finding his own little path in the vast world of experimental music. This is an incredibly beautiful universe, created by a very talented artist. Each one of these eight track can stand on its own but if you listen to the entire album, which I obviously recommend, you'll be blissfully smiling all the way. I know I am...


​Serge

ambient / experimental

ambient / electronic / downtempo

doom / sludge metal

ambient / classical

punk / antifolk

progressive metal

death metal / industrial

black metal

shoegaze / alternative rock / dark rock

facebook

ambient / downtempo

electronic / techno / experimental

Hypermedium

black metal

drone / ambient / minimal

noise

techno

post hardcore

classical / experimental / folk

A few days ago, when leaving the house for a nice get together with friends, I found this album in my mailbox. The envelope looked crumpled and torn. I opened it and saw that the accompanying biography was damaged. The corner of the digipac were folded backwards. The whole thing looked like it had been a car crash. The CD itself was intact, although it sounds weird and unusual. That is probably not because of the horrible accident it went through. This strange and otherworldly sound is created by violinist/fiddler Sarah-Jane Summers. It's an experimental solo effort, a confounding study of her instrument.

To give you an example. Did you know that a fiddle can sound like a noteless blow in saxophone? I didn't know that. The tracks 'Mirr' and 'Aitran' taught me that. Then again, nothing is really normal or usual on this album. I mean, when I think of the fiddle, I think of songs like 'The Devil Went Down To Georgia', not about eerily creeping acoustic strings that have the power to send shivers down my spine. That never occurred to me.

Sarah-Jane Summers is Scottish but lives and works on Norway. She holds a master's degree in Norwegian traditional music. She started recording this debut solo album after a two-week trip to Montreal where she performed with the contemporary string quartet Quatuor Bozzini. The album is inspired by extreme weather conditions. The booklet explains the titles. My favorite track here, 'Aisk', means "A haze, mist, bank of fog". No wonder it's my favorite.

As I wrote earlier, the album is not a collection of joyful fiddle tunes. These are experiments, ranging from avant garde classical music over eerie folk to harsh, intense outbursts of free jazz, all created by fiddle and viola. On 'Unbrak' Summers plucks the strings, on others the bow gently strikes the strings and a few tunes sounds as if Summers has been scratching the strings with spoons. So no, don't expect a nice Mozart-like tune here.

Still, unusual and strange as this album is, it's an interesting and often captivating study. I like how silence plays a role here too. But in the end, the most difficult question is, "who to recommend this album to?". Perhaps fans of experimental classical music will enjoy this and free jazz aficionados too. Ambient fans might find it a bit too abrasive at times but most of these songs are perfect ambient-remix material. In any case, this is a unique album, something definitely worth checking out. Damaged and torn as the sleeve is, I'm keeping this one...


​Serge

classical

American pianist and composer John Steven Morgan likes to do things his own way. He can be found in unexpected places in San Francisco jamming on his piano, or he can be busy writing songs for short films or for Wreche, an interesting experimental black metal collaboration which consists of Barret Baumgart on drums and John squeezing every drop out of the possibilities of his piano and his voice. 

But we're here to talk about his second album Solo Piano Works, which is a compilation of songs from 
John's previous collaborations, film scores and self-releases.

There indeed is a wide variation between the songs. Sometimes he takes you to a lively pub, sometimes he brings a moonlight serenade, other times he's after your tears, your fears or your smile and it is not uncommon to get all these sensations in just one song - 'Terra Damnata' being my personal favourite. 

It's chrystal clear that John is a very talented and experienced pianist, whose work deserves your attention.


Eline

ambient / classical

It's Sunday today. The weather seems to invite us to stay inside and enjoy some nice, relaxed tunes. So don't expect me to review some heavy stuff today. Today, my main companions are pianos and soundscapes, along with coffee and homemade cake. It's good cake too, with pieces of chocolate. Yummie.

Anyway, I digress. I'm very good at that, you know, but let's get back to the task at hand, reviewing a splendid piano based album. On first listen, the phrase "yummie" wasn't so far off since this is yet another delicious piece of music.

'Gaslight' is the debut by English composer and pianist James Maloney, born in Birmingham but now residing in London. The piano is the central instrument but you can also hear trumpet, vibraphone, glockenspiel and electronics. I guess that puts us right into the scene dominated by people like Olafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm. In fact, perhaps it's safe to say that Maloney combines the cinematic approach of Arnalds with the playfulness of Frahm.

That playfulness can immediately be found in the opener 'Seascape', a rather strange intro which sounds as if the pianist is warming up his instrument. From then on, starting with the beautiful 'Blink', the whole unfolds as a gentle classical meets ambient album. Another keyword seems to be "minimalism" which brings people like Philip Glass to mind. Just listen to the short and dreamy 'Lament' and you'll know how minimalism can be something brilliant.

Let's throw another big name in the mix. Somehow, 'Gambetta' reminds me of some tracks by Laraaji. Uptempo piano touches, combined with gentle soundscapes, but still calm and immersive. Not a lot of people can pull that off, I think. That being said, I think jazz fans can easily appreciate this stuff too. I'll test that tonight, when my jazz-loving friend is coming over. But for now, I'll just recommend this to everyone who wants something nice and soothing on Sunday.


​Serge

black metal

krautrock / post punk

hard rock / grunge

dark ambient

classical

grindcore

stoner rock / psychedelic rock

drone / ambient

thrash metal

doom metal

black metal / folk metal

post rock / ambient

electronic / downtempo / psychill

electronic / downtempo / dub

Mindspring Music

grindcore

drone / black metal

doom / avant garde