drone / ambient
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In the past few days, I really needed something calm, something relaxing and certainly something non-intrusive. So I was pretty happy with two albums, given to me at the magnificent Dunk festival (read our review). The days after the festival, I spent a lot of time in bed, struck with the flu and these two albums have been great, soothing companions. It was hot, muggy even, but 'The Storm Of Silence' provided me with the perfect soundtrack to cool down.
This album is a cooperation between two highly experienced ambient acts who live far, far away from each other. Dirk Serries (from Belgium) is regarded as one of the masters of today's ambient scene, known for his Microphonics albums and lately also for his innovative approach to jazz with Yudok III. Chihei Hatakeyama (from Japan) has been featured on this website before, obviously in a very good way (read review).
For this release, Serries delivered the sound sources which Hatakeyama manipulated. The result is a surprising album, certainly if you know how harsh, loud and overwhelming Serries' music can get. What Hatakeyama did with these sounds is nothing short of wondrous. The four tracks on 'The Storm Of Silence' have become cold, bright and glacial, reminding me of the soundscapes of acts like Biosphere, combined with the minimalistic approach of Steve Roach.
As usual with albums like this one, I have no favorite tracks. Instead, I just just close my eyes and allow myself to float along with the music. This time, I'm floating over wintry landscapes, where nature rests until spring wakes it up again. Landscapes where blue and white are the only visible colors. This one is for the winter, but winter can come at anytime if you want it to. In the heat of summer, this album could be one of the most refreshing things you can imagine.
Serge
This album is a cooperation between two highly experienced ambient acts who live far, far away from each other. Dirk Serries (from Belgium) is regarded as one of the masters of today's ambient scene, known for his Microphonics albums and lately also for his innovative approach to jazz with Yudok III. Chihei Hatakeyama (from Japan) has been featured on this website before, obviously in a very good way (read review).
For this release, Serries delivered the sound sources which Hatakeyama manipulated. The result is a surprising album, certainly if you know how harsh, loud and overwhelming Serries' music can get. What Hatakeyama did with these sounds is nothing short of wondrous. The four tracks on 'The Storm Of Silence' have become cold, bright and glacial, reminding me of the soundscapes of acts like Biosphere, combined with the minimalistic approach of Steve Roach.
As usual with albums like this one, I have no favorite tracks. Instead, I just just close my eyes and allow myself to float along with the music. This time, I'm floating over wintry landscapes, where nature rests until spring wakes it up again. Landscapes where blue and white are the only visible colors. This one is for the winter, but winter can come at anytime if you want it to. In the heat of summer, this album could be one of the most refreshing things you can imagine.
Serge