Hibernation 'Ambient Re:Works 01' Review

Artist: Hibernation

Title: Ambient Re:Works 01

Released: 28^th June

Following on from the recent ambient re-works of the Kaya Project, Seb Taylor applies this method to another of his projects Hibernation. When he mentioned on social media he was toying with the idea, I immediately thought having always liked the Jazzy elements utilised in some of the original tracks, that this would work perfectly.

As always Seb plays a number of different instruments from guitars, bass and piano to the zheng (a Chinese plucked string instrument) which he utilises in ‘Wabi Sabi’ over rippling water and laid back atmospheric synth voices and fx. Guest musicians are also featured such as Natasha Chamberlain (Kaya Project) with vocals and flute, Susi Evans adds clarinet to ‘Empty Cities’ (where you could easily draw comparison to Floex) and Vicki Flint plays mute trumpet to the strings and harmonic vocals of ‘Aquarius 138’.

For me the tracks on this album yet again bridges the world of traditional music with the electronic, whilst achieving an atmosphere with these re-mixes that you want to find in an ambient album. In other words perfectly suitable for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Reviewed by Woodzee.

Kaya Project 'Firedance' Review

Artist: Kaya Project

Title: Firedance

Label: Interchill

Released: 13^th May 2014

Seb Taylor the mastermind behind the Kaya Project has released his music in many guises, from the synthetic chill of Hibernation and the global lounge of Angel Tears to Bio-Tones tech-house re-mixes to name a few. It seems whichever, style organic or synthetic he turns his mind to it works well. This is the fifth album released on Interchill in his Kaya Project guise, the last album 'Desert Phase' travelled across continents with field or rather desert recordings, reflected with the music from country blues to the sounds of Arabia.

The album launch for 'Firedance' took place recently at one of London's premier chill spots the InSpiral Lounge with support from Whirl-Y-Gig's Monkey Pilot. Having seen it advertised on my last visit I quite fancied going but was sadly unable to make it. So making do with the recorded audio I'll press on.

This album features the sultry vocals of two previous collaborators, Irina Mikhailova and Natasha Chamberlain as well as Pearce van der Merwe on Flute. Seb's production takes us on a journey through down-tempo Arabic numbers and chilled strings to upbeat tribal percussion. The title track 'Firedance' for example is a smouldering hot pot of Arabesque strings, African chants, percussion and Gypsy violin balanced beautifully with chilled breakdowns. Despite the quantity of sounds and styles input into the track it flows far smoother than it sounds. With 'Todero' on the other hand all I can picture in my minds eye is a swirling dervish dance carried along by Irina's lucid voice which while dominating your attention the accompanying music adds but never distracts. While 'The Phoenix Rises' takes a step back into chilled guitar strings with an almost orchestral feel in places a gorgeous backdrop for Natasha's wonderfully ethereal tones.

This album will definitely appeal to fans of previous Kaya Project releases, Irinas own music and that of other projects such as Star Sounds Orchestra and Lumin and possibly Vas, Dead Can Dance or Irfan.

Review by Woodzee.

Links

http://www.kayaproject.com/

http://www.interchill.com/