ambient / drone
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After listening to and reviewing heaps of metal albums, it's finally time for some peace and tranquility. Dronarium sent us a new pearl from their catalogue, recorded by Olan Mill, a drone project from England. This one-man project was founded in 2009 by Alex Smalley. His latest album 'Cavade Morlem' is a beautiful piece of minimal ambient and drones, exactly what I need right now.
The tracks on this album are created for a small number of live performances. Instruments used are guitars, violins and some pre-recorded samples of organ and strings. In many of the songs Mike Jessop joins in to play additional violin. Personally, I really wish I could have seen these performances because, judging from the soothing soundscapes, they must have been magical.
The album opens with 'Chort', a short piece of layered drones and soundscapes which somehow can function as an intro for the album. What strikes me most, is the gentle, warm atmosphere in the music. This makes it perfect for meditation and mindfullness sessions. It surely has the power to set your mind at ease and float along with these brilliant waves.
The approach is very minimal. There's no percussion, no distortion and only a vague hint of melody. Furthermore, the songs perfectly follow each other in a continuous game of fading in and out, creating not just ten seperate songs but mainly one elaborate flowing of dreamy sounds. This makes choosing a favorite extra difficult, but if I have to, I'll select 'Somimes'.
In all, this is an excellent ambient album and a welcome addition to any collection of drone releases. I'm going to stop writing about now and play it again while I enjoy the warm rays of sunlight on my terrace...
Serge
The tracks on this album are created for a small number of live performances. Instruments used are guitars, violins and some pre-recorded samples of organ and strings. In many of the songs Mike Jessop joins in to play additional violin. Personally, I really wish I could have seen these performances because, judging from the soothing soundscapes, they must have been magical.
The album opens with 'Chort', a short piece of layered drones and soundscapes which somehow can function as an intro for the album. What strikes me most, is the gentle, warm atmosphere in the music. This makes it perfect for meditation and mindfullness sessions. It surely has the power to set your mind at ease and float along with these brilliant waves.
The approach is very minimal. There's no percussion, no distortion and only a vague hint of melody. Furthermore, the songs perfectly follow each other in a continuous game of fading in and out, creating not just ten seperate songs but mainly one elaborate flowing of dreamy sounds. This makes choosing a favorite extra difficult, but if I have to, I'll select 'Somimes'.
In all, this is an excellent ambient album and a welcome addition to any collection of drone releases. I'm going to stop writing about now and play it again while I enjoy the warm rays of sunlight on my terrace...
Serge
