Carbon Based Lifeforms, or CBL, are a Swedish ambient music duo from Gothenburg who I was entirely unaware of until a recent recommendation. Sometimes ambient music can be a term for musical approach, performance or philosophy more so than a style or genre. CBL could be different based on your interpretation but what I heard was the cosmic jam of space ambience, the sounds of stars and constellations. This particular waveform of ambience was right on my level and with just one listen I was swept up above the hemisphere, understanding the purpose of this record and the journey it would take me on.
Reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's swirling, unraveling synthesizer drones, CBL takes on an organic form of electronic evolution where the most passive of short melodies can be gloriously engrossing in the subconscious as contracting passageways steadily shrink and expand in turn with easy paced, down tempo beats. Layers of soft electronic sounds decorate the soothing atmospheres with an ever changing design of minimal details to drench the tracks in an authentic depth that can almost go unnoticed. These 6-8 minute compositions are crafted with a care to let the power of an idea sink in deep with just one melody leading the way. There is no climax, or glory but an ever changing state around a single melody that holds together an emotion, idea or whatever it is you find in the music.
For me the visions these soundscape conjured were of futuristic flashing lights swirling in the cosmic abyss, the comforts of a science fiction fantasy realm where technology meets the limits of existence and you are the observer. Fantastic music for driving at night, seeing the stars in the sky and the passing lights of cars, cities and road lights. Its calming, soothing and chilled out and its great to hear it in such a package that lets the seventy one minutes breeze by without a thought. Its my go to ambient record right now.
Favorite Songs: Central Plain, Supersede, Euphoric
Rating: 8/10