ambient / darkjazz
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For ages, mankind has been specializing in using herbs for medical and psychological treatments. Only quite recently, we moved from the natural kind of medicine towards the chemical, artificial form, which only seems to profit the pharmaceutical industry. Even more so, our whole life is becoming more and more artificial, completely disconnecting us from our true roots. In today's society, nature is merely a collection of resources to be exploited to the limit. Quite frankly, that's not a very pleasant observation to make.
This album is a tribute to those herbs and to the people who made potions and other medicine from natural resources. In five tracks, each named after a specific herb (Artemisia, Bryophyta, Beladonna, Mandragora & Hypericum), Ukrainian experimental ambient act Gamardah Fungus present their message and try to get us acquainted with these forgotten gifts of nature again. Personally, I surely hope it works. We really do need to get back in touch with nature. If not, it will simply wipe us out. Soon.
From a musical standpoint, this is a beautiful album, blending dark jazz, ambient, field recordings (birds!!!), drones and folk elements into one massive and mysterious piece of music. True, these are five different tracks but they fit perfect together and form this elaborate and gloomy adventure. Even after a few listens I'm not sure where one song ends and another one begins, and quite frankly, I really like it that way. I like to lay back and get lost in these soothing sounds and I absolutely recommend you try doing the same.
It's not easy to compare this music to other artists, mainly because it doesn't feel like it's inspired by other people but solely by nature and the possibilities of the used instruments. Maybe it is safe to mention acts like Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Barn Owl or people Brian Eno and Harold Budd, perhaps even the experimental nature of Zoviet France or Rapoon. But let's stop trying to describe this, let's just float along with musical beauty, the only thing that comes close to natural beauty...
​Serge
This album is a tribute to those herbs and to the people who made potions and other medicine from natural resources. In five tracks, each named after a specific herb (Artemisia, Bryophyta, Beladonna, Mandragora & Hypericum), Ukrainian experimental ambient act Gamardah Fungus present their message and try to get us acquainted with these forgotten gifts of nature again. Personally, I surely hope it works. We really do need to get back in touch with nature. If not, it will simply wipe us out. Soon.
From a musical standpoint, this is a beautiful album, blending dark jazz, ambient, field recordings (birds!!!), drones and folk elements into one massive and mysterious piece of music. True, these are five different tracks but they fit perfect together and form this elaborate and gloomy adventure. Even after a few listens I'm not sure where one song ends and another one begins, and quite frankly, I really like it that way. I like to lay back and get lost in these soothing sounds and I absolutely recommend you try doing the same.
It's not easy to compare this music to other artists, mainly because it doesn't feel like it's inspired by other people but solely by nature and the possibilities of the used instruments. Maybe it is safe to mention acts like Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Barn Owl or people Brian Eno and Harold Budd, perhaps even the experimental nature of Zoviet France or Rapoon. But let's stop trying to describe this, let's just float along with musical beauty, the only thing that comes close to natural beauty...
​Serge