Showing posts with label Soundscape. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soundscape. Show all posts

Friday 8 March 2024

Applefish "Luminous" (2023)

 

This third of three leaves me with less to remark but Applefish has caught my attention and made it onto my coveted Temporal Focus playlist. Luminous is a lighter companion, less suggestive of its theme despite the track titling signaling intent. Lofty ruminations suspend animation and linger within a sparkling display of apt synths and familiar ambiguities. Each song is a flavor of calm, occasionally drifting into serenity.

 A couple of tracks offer some curiosity and mystique but nothing dramatic. The opening Star Trails is my favorite, taking the slow elongated swell of these synth arrangements and gracing them with a looping melody that drags the soundscape reluctantly over a powerful yet subtly delivered chord arrangement. This level of craft seemed lacking elsewhere but each song works with a different energy.

Rating: 5/10

Monday 4 March 2024

Applefish "Astrosat" (2022)

 

Had I not discovered Pale Blue Dot first, I may have passed up this record. Release prior, Astrosat is milder affair, another set of Cosmic Ambience pieces that dwell on their initial offerings. Soothing, calm and tranquil in nature, its album art suggests a peaceful surrender to the stillness of orbiting a planet. Spacey synths, airy ambiguities and softly droning astral melodies, these arrangements revel in the present and persist with little in the way of dramatics. Snoozey by design, these peaceful ambiences seduce with slumber, a sense of ease and remaining present.

The closing Primordial Soup and Particles both liven up. Mechanical percussive whirls and expansive synth melodies, a hastening of pace that exits this serene setting on an obscure note. Only Into The Aether toyed with unease and tension. Its slight eeriness is a delight, as if on the cusp of curiosity that might suddenly sour. It was my favorite among these stellar temporal tunes. I'm glad I gave this one a go!

Rating: 5/10

Monday 26 February 2024

Applefish "Pale Blue Dot" (2023)

Another champion of Spotify's algorithm, Applefish's astronautical perspective immediately captivated my attention. One for my Temporal Focus playlist, these reflective droning ambiences contrast shimmering Ethereal tones with earthly sounds. From footsteps dragged across a beach, to trickling water or the chirping of birds, most these songs pair natural scenic impressions within suspended swells of lofty ambiguous synths that cast a memorizing calmness from even its tense outings.
 
The aura is impeccable, soft bass rumbles and airy voices drift through its drifting formless presence. Melody is absent, notes arise, groan and sink, yawning on temporal stretches. From dramatic to soothing, these captivating swells all conjure emotions fit for the overview effect its title suggests. Only its final track Return To The Tribute induces a cycling electronic melodic tune, which beaks the magical balance as it sees the record out. Pale Blue Dot has a powerful introspective spell to fall under.

Rating: 7/10

Saturday 20 January 2024

Ziggurath "True North" (2024)

 
With a swift and sudden departure from their prior Jungle Synth effort, Ziggurath pivots again. Now venturing on a chilly expedition, True North tentatively explores desolate atmosphere from a sullen, lone perspective. Glacial pace sets tone as broody bass synths, howling winds and distant gulls guide lonesome melodies on its journey. Pace is sparse, its ninety minutes frequently linger, drawing out its main sound design. The album sleeve feels fitting, a ghostly ship on a lost voyage, the lingering presence of icy death incarnate through a menacing skulls gaze.

Aptly named Hearthfire Inn, fire-crackles and lutes warm the bones, a refuge from the relentless frost that awaits. From here on, only glimmers of cultural instrumentation echo in the distant fog. Howling dogs, swirling winds and rehashes of its brooding atmosphere drag on. Through Halls Of Ruined Splendour offers shimmering sounds of wonder over the backdrop of crashing waves and the creaks of aged floor boards.

From here, iterations on the established sound design intensify, shying away from anything vivid, only offering glimpses of music to latch onto. Then Someone Dies offers a passing funeral dirge, a glum, drained march of sadness. The final track, True North, goes all in, attempting to offer a gratifying conclusion but coming up short. A surge of melodies underpinned by choral synths and soft organ hum doesn't quite land as intended, given the lack of build up to this final concluding moment.

Its obvious to see the intention here, to really lean into this chilling abandon. When giving True North little attention, its somewhat achieves this. Its sparse moments of melody and scenic sounds perk the ears but its sluggish pace and lack of animation doesn't carry much gravitas in the forefront of ones attention. Curation and more musicality could of elevated its presence. Otherwise, this is a soft miss to my ears.

Rating: 4/10

Wednesday 13 December 2023

Laurel Halo "Atlas" (2023)

 

Introduced via the Spotify algorithm, a lone track among its ten, You Burn Me, bared resemblance to one of my all time favorites, The Plateaux Of Mirror. Its dreamy pianos pulled me in but sadly the focus of Atlas is not akin to that timeless soothing tranquility. It does however, deal with subconscious narratives. Ambiguity and lofty reverberations house flickers of traditional instrumentation as these gentle mirages embark on temporal musical experiences that eludes a listeners focus in the present.

To my ears, Its early tracks house glimmers of city life. Dense, compounding echos create soft cushions of vague emotional states. Subtly twisted, warped and stretched, these dreary forms of pianos, pads and strings float out of its hazy mist. Somewhere in that gentle flood I hear the sounds of people, perhaps the droning sensation somehow resembling the ever-present background decibels of a city. This notion fades swiftly as its latter half resembles emotional states more often than not.

This leads me to the downside of this record. Many of these cloudy clusters of ambiguity steered into uncomfortable anxiety. Tension is a key component of these arrangements. A few flavors brewed unrest and disquiet through the powerful effects of Ambient music. Where I often welcome challenging sounds as emotional entertainment, a handful of songs placed me in that soft distress which equally sings praises to its power but derived my enjoyment the full length record experience.

Rating: 6/10

Wednesday 22 November 2023

André 3000 "New Blue Sun" (2023)

 

A name that would forever manifest anticipation, the talents of André 3000 held promise, surely a musical gem in waiting? Many years on from his legendary career as the artistic half of Outkast, his return to music is a subtle one, venturing into mellow New-Age ambiences. His voice comes not through rap but woodwind as Andre expresses himself with flute performances that meander on free flowing journeys.

Clocking in at a meaty ninety minutes, these eight stints average over ten minutes in length but all share a common breezy ambiguity. Blurry forms, warm and resonate, yet illusive, express wonders lacking comprehension. A swaying mix of environmental sounds and flashes of dazzling melody, nothing concrete is ever anchored to. Instead we drift across moody landscapes in perpetual limbo, at the mercy of this whim.

Its hazy, fever dream nature and free forming spirit makes these songs hard to latch upon. On the journey, many moments of textural beauty and fleeting chemistries arise but they dissolve into the ambience. Each track boils down to that flavor, if you want its company for however long it endures. The two lengthiest cuts didn't do it for me but the rest served a peaceful, captivating New-Age experience, reveling in their own mystique. Its far flung from the rap record everyone wanted but why not? Clearly Andree had a different expression within him and its worth checking out.

Rating: 6/10

Tuesday 17 October 2023

S1gns Of L1fe "The Age Of Cymatics" (2021)

 

This entry serves has a marker of discovery, a favored familiar frontier, voyaged by an artist exploring that magical space between distant stars and our imaginations. Cosmic Ambience, as I've come to call it, the space inspired synth style mastered by Dreamstate Logic, which became an obsession last year. Spotify's algorithms has finally steered me on to neighboring territory. Signs Of Life, presumably using the 1s to distinguish the name, provides a welcome hour of lengthy tracks stiring temporal focus, through dense stellar atmospheres that calm and sooth in their droning.

To deter from my usual astral analogies, I'll get direct. Signs has an approach of intention. Its strengths emanate from visible synths arranged with character and purpose. Bustling on looping melodies, alongside sparse glitched percussion, little feels hidden. The craft doesn't linger in reverberations but strides inline with its projections. Although there is an apt amount of spacious echos for its aesthetic, the spacey mood is thrust forth by bold instruments resonating with one another. Airy pads and lofty synths are present throughout but serve more so as a glue.

I also suspect the VSTs behind this sound are similar, with some bass lines and other tones having an uncanny resemblance. Signs also loves the swells of reverb that shift the music into new phases. One can feelsa greater sense of progression and direction changing on these tranquil cosmic voyages. I'm pleased to have discovered more of this niche to add to my collection, its fantastic music for getting in the zone. This too joins the Temporal Focus playlist. Still searching for more!

Rating: 7/10

Monday 16 October 2023

Old Tower "Draconic Synthesis" (2023)


Esoteric, arcane and obscure, Draconic Synthesis engulfs us on a mystic venture the marvels of sound design. Tinkering and experimentation has led to fruitful explorations of ambiguous wonder, found in gaps between occult voicings, astral synths and ghostly reverberations. This new terrain still stems from foundations of old castly Dungeon Synth, Old Tower continues an intriguing evolution into dark ambience and soundscapes, while fluctuating to familiar footings on this entrancing forty minutes.

Heard through a candles flickering flame, wildlife sounds of night accompany a subtle tropical flavor on its lingering melody. A dusky opener signaling new sounds, Draconis Arcanum has beautiful balance. One could imagine it as the backdrop to a Diablo theme alike game. Ruins and Horned Glossolia ressurects this direction with its lonely steel acoustic guitar, followed then by Sacred Carvings. This song leans fully into this cultural resonance superbly, akin to Dead Can Dance's transformative magic.

Spirit Vessel has a similar incarnation, evoking forbidden spirits from the graves with classic dungeon dweller magics. Its a more "traditional" piece for this artists however the closing Crafting The Symmetry Of Aeons feels like their most ambitious work to date. With many distant clanks, rattles, drips and drops, ghostly voices breeze by forgotten corridors as the music strides into foreboding chambers of sequestered darkness. The emerging synths and percussion give one a sense of tainted triumph over what lingered before its arrival. The strike of a gong bringing it to a sudden close.

Rating: 8/10

Monday 2 October 2023

Marconi Union "Weightless" (2012)

 

Discovered through a scientific podcast about the effects of music on our psychology and physiology, Weightless has been studied to learn of its calming effect on listeners. This was no mystery to me, as someone who suffers with anxiety at times, I learned long ago the powerful magic of ease Ambient music can bestow upon its recipient. Unlike my typical plunges into random areas of this genre, British duo Marconi Union's approach fits snugly into a relaxing yet artful region of Ambient I adore.

Lengthy stints drift drearily through ambiguous atmospheres, the jaws of danger remaining inanimate. A soothing stillness passes its balmy brood, sheltered from rainy weathers subdued. Melodies linger in limbo, sluggish slumps of tempo mask meaning and purpose. Tensions are tranquil, suspense soothing and apprehensions amiss.

 Weightless' tonality and textures holds many unknown mysteries that could easily be manipulated into darkly stressful taunts. Unease and suspense sit central to its blueprint yet the ambiguous design is played perfectly. Disconnected, un-anchored melodies strip out all identity and meaning. The remaining impressions have no tilt, you will find nothing happy, upbeat or joyous at play among its six parts.

Its lack of emotion is perhaps why Weightless is so soothing, a removal of drama and noise from ones mind as we indulge at restful tempos. Cuts two and five elevate slightly with soft percussion, the later including soft Downtempo like bass, reminiscent of Yagya. Its all wonderfully orchestrated, the endless dawning of its airy synths grasping one in its moment. Instant classic, one for the Temporal Focus playlist.

Rating: 9/10

Wednesday 13 September 2023

Annihilation Of Self "First Orbit" (2021)

 

In search of more meditative astral ambiences, Annihilation Of Self caught my ear with an eerie, uncanny familiarity. The culprit? Song two, Condensate, one of Spotify's algorithmically inserted tracks. It had weaved itself into the unconscious musical map. A curious encounter with this new venture into unintentional listening behaviors. Either way, the full album merited a go, yet didn't yield quite the magic I was hoping for.

First Orbit checks all the spacey boxes. Airy, atmosphere dawning synths and a whirling array of buzz saw VSTs are present. They build a dark, technologically inhabited environment, on cosmic scales. A dynamic flow of intensities weaves the glittering melodies of stars between harsher tones of endless void. Its scales against itself, keeping moderate tempos and ushering a songs feel through many apt shifts.

Its darker moments felt more captivating. The buzzing oscillations brooded a tense yet distant distress. Brighter melodies and upbeat motifs felt off in comparison. One notable balance between the two sung personal inspirations. Emma weaves in a bright yet mournful piano melody to ascend the stars with a beautiful sorrow. It seemed deeply personal to me, perhaps the name hinting at a story behind the tune.

Despite a plentiful amount of listens, I've found myself lukewarm on the record yet writing up a "review" of my experience has highlighted its merits with greater intensity. The issue feels like a lack of distinct melodies or moments to cling too, yet the overall tone has the spacey drifting feel I adore. Perhaps I needed more time with it. First Orbit has been placed on my "temporal focus" playlist. Maybe it will grow on me.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 14 July 2023

Carbon Based Lifeforms "Seeker" (2023)

 

 Thirteen years on from Interloper, now a classic in my collection, I wanted to hear if Seeker retains the infectious charm this breed of spacey downtempo ambient offers. With many consecutive spins, the dazzling repetition of whirling melancholic melodies did not meld to an intensity felt once before. Perhaps the familiarity dulled its impact. Seeker is loaded with wondrous music to inspire awe and astonishment, its astral evoking leading many compositions on a similar trajectory. Humble beginnings gradually bloom into emotional swells contemplating our mysterious universe and the roll we take within in. Far from existential, these emotive arrangements arouse a glorious curiosity, sparking the imagination on a galactic perspective whilst also reflecting inwards, as such incomprehensible scales often stir introspection.

Its aesthetic design and arrangement of electronic instruments is a web of details and intricacies one can get lost in. Timely reverberations and lofty tonalities feed into the themes tapestry. Human voices weave in on rare occasions, often with breathy wordless interpretations and an occasional hint of lyrics. The driving forces are its emergent key melodies and swells of percussion that amass intensity as peaks are summited in a songs climactic pass. Much of this could be applied to previous records yet despite similarity and familiarity birthed from my many spins, Seeker didn't resonate on that deeper level. Its a high bar to reach for and shouldn't deter from the soothing spiritual moods the music stirs. Definitely one for the Temporal Focus playlist!

Rating: 7/10

Monday 3 April 2023

Dreamstate Logic "Starbound" (2023)

Since discovering Dreamstate Logic last year, the spacey music has become a staple in my streams. These cool, cold, cosmic breezes of astral ambience are pleasurable tone setters when focus is required. Starbound is the first new material beyond twelve or so other lengthy release. I wanted to give these seventy five minutes more attention but have since discovered its mostly business as usual. Not that business is bad...

The records instrumental pallet is somewhat indistinguishable from prior creations. This artist seems very much settled on stick to what works. Stellar drones and shimmering dreamy synths lay its atmospheric foundations. When pace musters, sequenced melodies and gentle arpeggios brood steadily among dense galactic reverberations. As momentum gains, its Downtempo inspired percussive lines take charge with punches, thuds, combined for satisfying kick snare grooves.

Most notable on Approaching Aldebaran, do drums and its general mood, slip into the enclave of Synthwave. The buzzsaw's make themselves known among sparse synthetic tom drum strikes. Its a subtle shift but about the only song that showed signs of somewhere new to stride. I did pick up a couple new favorites on the journey, to scratch the itch. Otherwise a fine set of instrumentals fit to serve its purpose.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 24 March 2023

Yagya "Faded Photographs" (2023)

 

I recall commenting previously that Yagya's music, a unique blend of dreamy Ethereal Downtempo ambience, had run its course with me. Still in adoration of the peaceful persuasion this composer casts, this newest installment commanded a curious listen. The soft sway of deeply subdued dub percussion meets a timeless array of cloudy synths again for another sleepy affair in the heavens. Business as usual, the sweetest of routines that leaves me with little to say I haven't already in previous posts.

Where Faded Photographs caught my ear was with its vocal collaborations. A real sense of intended chemistry emerged as these delicate, softly sung voices chimed in as if a new element of the Yagya sound. Its been done before but in a few instances, these unions with Bandreas, Benoit Pioulard and my favorite Saint Sinner, turned out a treat! The subtle saxophone expressions from Óskar Guðjónsson another delight.

With a rather constrained temperament and consistent approach to the composition of these eleven songs, the novelty wears off swiftly but a soothing charm does persist. The Serpent stands head and shoulders apart as the records best song. Grappling with foggy unease and eerie stresses, the chorus moves through gratifying shifts as tensions resolve and elevate with beautiful chord progressions. It commanded me to write this post! The record however did become a rather typical affair for a sound thoroughly explored already. I do still enjoy on occasion though, this was one of them.

Rating: 6/10

Tuesday 13 September 2022

Andrew Odd "Discoveries" (2015)

 

Seeking out more cosmic Pysbient by Andrew Odd, his earlier Discoveries ventures close. Downtempo beats are stripped out, pacing set in rarity by rumbles of deep bass and jolting sequenced synths. My favorite track is the one exception. Unknown Phenomenon builds steadily, the reverb soaked snare and complimenting thump of the bass kick amp up intentions. It lingers on this trajectory for some time before unleashing a gratifying closing astral melody. This is the craft I was seeking.

The rest of the records dealing in shades of spacey ambience brought about by combinations of dense electronic strings, murmuring bass noise and lofty, airy synths. These songs most circle their own tensions, drifting from resolution and lingering in the peculiar spaces as ambiguous textures and halfway tunes assert themselves.

The most remarkable of which is Leaving, the opening track. Its perpetual sense of abstract existence is bestowed by a cloudy organ synth tone. It holds an odd tension of possibility beyond what we know. Presiding through its entirety, encounters with grandiose string sections feel significant and momentous, as if observing first contact from a distance. Its distinct and special, the rest of the record offering more temporal solitude but never quite escaping to the extraordinary. A fair set of ambiences.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 9 September 2022

Andrew Odd "Life" (2015)

Seeking more of the Random Thoughts magic, Life of five years prior has flickers of a neighboring charm. Its opener, the lengthy, tense Spark, and aimless dreamy closer track, Darkness, both brood on airy tensions of lofty synths, uneventful soundscapes mulling over their own individual moments. The three songs between venture out of cloudy ambiances with pleasantly subdued encroachments of melody. Drifted along by spacious Downtempo grooves, deep baselines hum with mono-tonal force to reinforce its persuasive percussion.

Unlike the cosmic vibes to follow, life rests gently with the beauty of earthly things to inspire its mellow moods. Always calming, the chemistry of instruments soothes through its effortless pace and welcoming tones. Airy synths house spurts of aimless electronic melody as its motions stew on the feeling of each track. Wonderfully crafted, they can probably fit a variety of feelings the listener might have. Its spell is fantastic for focus, a delight to enjoy when tasked for work. Its only flaw is a lack of depth with only two thirds of its thirty three minute stay being the sweet stuff.

Rating: 5/10

Sunday 21 August 2022

Andrew Odd "Random Thoughts" (2020)

  

Spotify is sussing my tastes out and the spacey ambience I adore has been served up. Finnish cosmonaut Andrew Odd caught my ear a flavor of deep space I couldn't resist. Hints of Downtempo momentum burgeon from its lurching percussion, brooding awaiting release. Birthed out of deep pursuing bass pulses, long adorning synth strings and cloudy ambiences mull in the void. Minor textures become major melodies in its astral unraveling of otherworldly marvels. Steadily they build, sparse lifeless tunes bloating to wild animations as gusto is mustered to venture forth boldly.

Cosmic storms, celestial bodies and colliding nebula illuminate in the blink of an eye. One drifts by, radiating in observation, then continuing momentum off into distance shadows, unable to change course. These swells of magic best culminate with a drive of powerful percussive grooves. Mechanical and stiff, the repetition aids the moment with a lively presence far from its humble, dreamy origins. Only a feature reserved for three of the five tracks, its more ambient oriented cuts are a fine craft too.

Likely inspired by Carbon Based Lifeforms and others in this spacey realm, the execution outstrips its similarities. These experiences are so well crafted, visions to be inhabited for lovers of these vibes. Andrew straddles an interesting line where his forever expanding soundscapes will go from subtle temporal remedies to mesmerizing distractions yet somehow serve both the background and foreground of you're musical attention span. Riveting stuff, an immediate classic "go to" for my introspective moods.

Rating: 8/10

Monday 8 August 2022

Dreamstate Logic "Space Born" (2020)

 

This will be no regular record review. More so a marking for my future self. The purpose of this blog has always been to catalog the musical exploration, providing references to our adventures. Memory is a limited resource and although personally music evokes the sharpest of recalls, it is still a healthy practice that has helped me resurface many magics that haven't popped into the conscious experience.

Keying in the right combination of terms to suit my introspective mood, Cosmic Ambience yielded a stellar find. With a catalog of similar sounding ambient pieces, the idea of a "record review" felt wayside to the simple and familiar pleasures this artist offered. Similar in emotion to Carbon Based Lifeforms and with cosmic tones akin to Stellardone, an especially calming melody of dawning astral synths and lofty reverberations offered a deep wondrous peace in its soothing temporal chambers.

Its seven songs scales the starlight as a sense of drifting beyond time carries one on a gentle glide through the infinite. Dreamstate Logic differentiates itself with a calming temperament that does on occasion stride with gusto as lumbering percussion rumbles up momentum and the odd shining melody pushes itself into focus.

It may be that this artist has more to offer but with a plethora of albums released in 2020, one would suspect these are pallets of spacial ambiences, as opposed to distinct musical experiences. That impression could be a falsehood, so as I revisit this mood, I'll see what I unearth but for now this will be a permanent fixture on my relaxation and focus playlist.

Rating: 7/10

Saturday 25 June 2022

Steve Roach "Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces" (2003)

As of late, I've needed focus and calm. With Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces, I've found that, a spiritual soothing far from hurried. In search of temporal meditations to aid the mind, Steve Roach's daunting discography has gems to be unearthed. Its knowing where to look that's tricky. With apt research into online discussion, the record popped up alongside his classics on occasion. As a massive 150 minute experience, it serves as a majestic ethereal tone setter, devoid of any sense of structure.

Each track dissolves into the next as its array of dense soundscapes are explored, carved apart with the notable aesthetic shifts. Melody and rhythm are absent, this is all about texture explored through temporal organics as its existence sways to the whims of winds, the invisible hand. Every moment is singular and unmovable, yet in a constant state of shimmering change. Sure, a few eventful transitions and animated passages are wedged in sporadically but for the most part, its mesmerizing demeanor hinges on the deep reverberations that birth these shapeless musical forms.

 Its first half is superior, a select cut of lengthy sessions, each reveling in their particular flavor. The second half plays more like a jam session, split into parts as tones are transformed on the fly. Its leads to shorter cuts that don't quite fit the meditative format. Whats remarkable is how masterfully Steve constructs these sounds. Despite being somewhat predictable in nature, they still conjure and evoke a stillness in the mind of this listener. Oracle was the track that did that best for me.

Rating: 6/10

Tuesday 26 April 2022

Lena Raine "Minecraft: Nether Update (Original Game Soundtrack)" (2020)

 

With a recent dive into the Wild Update's new music, it occurred to me that the accompanying soundtrack format extended back to the Nether Update! Despite covering the new musical inclusion in game, this separated release alluded me. Now that the talent of Lena Raine is no secret to me, I wanted to return to her first inclusion in the games soundtrack through these three ambient pieces and the classic in-game Pigstep record disc that introduced her music to the Minecraft community.

Pigstep is a bop, no doubt! A boldfaced groove of mischievous synth-bass jive, curious yet cautious flutes adventuring nearby and a cheeky lead melody throwing caution to the wind. The music builds up to a gratifying swirl of sounds that can swiftly drop back to its starting stomp, all while a busy percussive drive builds up a textural density around it. Quite the departure from C418's stance, an attention grabbing introduction that fits the vibe of the nether's new Piglin inhabitants.

The three pieces of ambience built for Minecraft's most perilous dimension steer clear of the darkness and abandon one could so easily grasp for. With slight unease and tension in its airy ambiguous synths, all three anchor into moods that signifies danger and caution yet linger on what beauty is to be offered. Chrysopoeia rolls in with a thick fog for gracious piano notes to cut through. One can see the magnificent yet truly deadly landscapes, appreciating its magnitude within a humble presence.

Rubedo is my favorite. Mainly for starting with its main looping melody which arises as a lonely spirit, drifting in perpetuity. When the more commonly ambient backing synth groans into existence, it brings such a powerful and daunting sway that swells in a riveting moment of tension. Its a beautiful moment, stunningly crafted through a reverse of format where often the backing would linger as the melodies direct.

So Below takes a glassy, crystalized set of sounds on a cold and breezy voyage, somewhat unfitting to the scorching heat of the lava riddled nether. The ominous bass murmuring below broods and awaits its turn. When the shiver passes it expands its creep, ending the trio of tracks with the darkest of moments which fades aptly.

Lena has me excited for the future of this games music. Her craft is brilliant and brings true inspiration and vision to a format of music, Ambient, that can easily be jostled of its merits. Best of all the visions conjured suit the nauseating scale of the basalt deltas, unruly dangers of crimson forests and the eerie safety of a warped forest.

Rating: 7/10

Thursday 21 April 2022

Lena Raine & Samuel Åberg "Minecraft: Wild Update (Original Game Soundtrack)" (2022)

 

With the latest Minecraft update closing in, this timely four song soundtrack has been released in what is becoming a welcome tradition for the game. Its new music disc composed by Samuel Åberg will have the community whisked into a world of discussion. The audible sound of flint and steel in its inception will fuel the fires of theory regarding a new type of portal in the ancient city. The cinematic track is a sound design experience to further enrich the lore of the Warden and deep dark.

Initially dark and creepy, a momentary melody so suited to Minecraft's in game records slows down into a dark journey of foot steps and grisly sounds as our adventurer plays hide and seek with the warden. The sound of a sculk shrieker unintentionally activated unleashes a beastly jump scare, to which we heard a brief instance of it in the beginning. It perhaps suggests a non-linear song structure. With this song alone, Mojang have let loose community exceptions for a new dimension ventured from the Ancient City's portal structure. Maybe we will see it next update?

The other three songs composed by Lena Raine speak wonders to her talent. The gentle pacing and warm dreamy ambiences are so apt for this game. Once again she navigates away from the shadow of previous composed C418 and compliments the game wonderfully well. Firebugs builds its innocent, soothing melodies and soft tropical percussion to a surge of cultured strings. Boldly, it gives a brief but necessary human touch to the song. One can imagine themselves laid down in a canoe, breezily drifting down the rivers through a mangrove swamp on a cool summers day.

Following it up, Aerie drifts into a sunny melancholy. With humble origins, a lonely melody meanders lost over the beautiful resonance set by cautious pianos beneath. Like a sudden realization, the music finds its moment to pivot and slowly build through its bright sorrows as the main melody matures and the deep bass piano notes beneath lead to a place of satisfaction. Its the sort of unassuming song that passes you by quietly yet whips you up gracefully into the arms of its emotional direction.

Labyrinthine is the most noticeable of the three from an ambience perspective. Its pan pipe instrument rises above the pallet of sounds heard in the previous two. Their timbre and presence creates a soft tension to give way before the music steers away. Blossoming into a rather bold and present swelling of sounds, its punctuated by distant, yet sharp and sparse reverberated snare. It demands ones attentionas then a conclusive feeling sets in with the subtle re-birthing of the original pan pipe melody.

Ambient music is an art, a craft which can sometimes hinge on the simpler aspects of aesthetic engrossment and temporal suspension, yet here Lena strides forth with apt melody so suited for the game and weaves in that subtle presentation. The pleasure is that her music can both be enjoyed in the foreground of attention or mood setting background. As for Samuel, his sound design track is quite the different entrance. I wonder if we will hear more of his works again? And what else he is possible of.

Rating: 6/10