Artist: Various
Title:
Strange Constellations 2
Label:
Disco Gecko Recordings
Released:
19th Oct 2018
The
second release in this series, which places the focus on downtempo
grooves, atmospheric soundscapes and ambient moods, mixing field
recordings, classical instruments and electronics. Combining artists
from the Disco Gecko label, associates of Toby Marks and a few which
came as a result of asking a wider audience to send in their tracks
for consideration. While
the artwork chosen to complement the music once again fell to Zoe
Heath (possibly the wife or a relative of Andrew?)
The
album begins with Simon Power a games and film soundtrack producer
who has created soundscapes for none other than Doctor Who! This
piece entitled ‘Immerse’ layers classical piano over spacey
atmospherics and while relatively short is a wonderful intro to the
album. This is suitably followed by Banco
de Gaia’s ‘Pavlov’s Children’ which delivers an eerie sense
of descent as the atmospheric synths transports you into a chasm of
monks chants and intangible spoken samples. Next
on the agenda is Halcyon Daze’s ‘Orbiting a Distant Star’ which
is a more string infused
piece of electronica with Clanger’esque sound fx, that never cause
any disharmony to the gentle beauty of the piece.
The
atmospheric mood re-emerges
with
Experiments in Silence ‘Cerulaen’
a
side project from Spatalize (Neil Butler) I would
draw comparison with Banco de Gaia, with some of the synth sounds
floating alongside
heavenly choral
voices
and chimes which blend seamlessly into the sound fx utilised,
this really is an exceptional piece of work. I
could be wide of the mark assuming the next track is one of the
submitted pieces but I
can’t say I am familiar with Project Transmission. However, I can
say ‘At Dusk’ the track in question, sounds like a field
recording of walking through a sodden marsh accompanied by an eerie
electronic drone, while the sound of pipes entice you to follow and
escape to freedom. The mood lightens somewhat and you almost sense
you are stepping out of the marsh, with what I guess is the second of
the submitted pieces ‘Beast from the East’ by Peter Toll. Where
gentle delayed organ sounds are suitably
counter-balanced
with
natural
field recordings.
Label
boss Toby Marks drops the Banco de Gaia moniker on this production
‘Sleep, Boy and Dream’ quite possibly, as it is far removed from
his more groove guided world dance or ambient dub productions.
Switching from gentle field recordings and spooky sound fx to
electronic drones which at times times build a foreboding sense of
terror. Another
unfamiliar name to
myself,
Glenn Marshall restores the calm with a suitably ambient piece of
electronica entitled ‘Spring Shade’. This is followed by a
collaboration by Toby Marks and Andrew Heath, a short piece of field
recordings, electronica and Andrew’s trademark piano.
The
apples not falling far from the tree with the next piece ‘Falls’,
again by an artist I’m personally not familiar with Phonsonic. A
slow burning piece of electronica, where indistinct voices wash over
the
atmospheric backbone alongside the deeper
bass notes. The strings employed by yet again another name I’m
unfamiliar with Simon McCorry, initially
provide a Celtic folk feel to ‘Anima Mechanica’, which transcends
into far more of a classical piece throughout. The compilation comes
to a close with ‘In
the Presence of Angels’ where
an aptly
gentle
piano and lovely guitar strings nestle in
amongst
the synth
voices, a combination that embodies
everything I love about Andrew Heath’s productions.
To
summarise I don’t think this album has as much variation as it’s
predecessor and in some cases may not appeal to those looking for an
album of ambient dub or world music infused chill out. However, if when
the mood
takes
me, then this is
an album
that
appeals
to me, it’s an immersive, experimental journey which I found to be
very thought provoking and
at times simply beautiful.
Reviewed
by Woodzee.
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