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Windfarm Records is a new Japanese label, completely unfamiliar to me. Compilation CDs can be a mixed blessing with a new
record label--you're likely to get a number of new, label-specific artists of varying quality, usually with the intention
of selling said artists’ releases on the label. Personally, I prefer a compilation to have a wide number of artists
operating within a chosen theme. Harmony with Ambience is a little bit of both aspects I've mentioned, and proves
to be distinctly excellent and functional on both sides of the compilation coin.
I'm developing a habit of using bulleted lists to describe compilations--it's served me well so far, and I'll continue to
do so:
- We begin with James Johnson (always a good start in my opinion) who provides the track "Stillness + Vapor"
which I'd say describes his signature sound pretty well. This sounds as if it could be an outtake from his recent Minimum CD, and is Johnson's usual high-quality, atmospheric, rainy, organic soundscapes. Johnson fans will not be disappointed.
- Next is Windfarm artist Pule, whose "Silenced" is a particularly affecting guitar solo played along with the eternal ambience
of the ocean's waves. This is ambient music at its most simple, unassuming, and beautiful--"classical ambience," if you will.
This track speaks of a time before artifice where an artist and his instrument of choice could play in harmony with nature.
- Edward Larry Gordon, usually known as ambient legend Laraaji, contributes a fine track titled "Aqua Shimmering," proving
he's still a master of dulcimer-based soundscapes. This track provides exactly what the title promises; you can almost see
the sunlight glittering off the babbling brook that provides the backing natural ambience.
- By this time, a listener can be forgiven for thinking that this compilation is a collection of natural soundscapes, all
with nature samples as their basic unifying theme. I know I felt that way. As soon as Jussi Väisänen's "Dissolve pt2" begins,
however, you realize how wrong you are. This is an echoed, spacey track, reminding me of Cluster's second album--all spaced
out drones and strange ambient noises. Not the most effective track on the compilation to be sure (are those whalesongs I
hear?), but a nice surprise in what I thought was going to be a collection of super-natural ambient landscapes.
- Rabbi Abulafia (who I assume is not truly a rabbi, with such a historically loaded name) contributes "Harqed," perhaps
the finest track on the compilation. I was so floored by this track--which brings to mind a sedate Aphex Twin during his
ambient works phase--with beautifully sonorous analog synth tones bringing gorgeous harmonies and tones into a gracious (though
too short) driftscape. Full-length please!
- Next is Isomorph, whose track "Gestalt" is a synthetic droneworld--the very blackest of space, inner and outer. Fans
of Steve Roach's The Magnificent Void will find this equally magnificent.
- dreamSTATE contribute the rather industrial sounding "Adrift in the City" which is an ominous mixture of deep drones,
splashing water, and city ambience. This is nice stuff--the city/crowd noises are sufficiently alien maintaining a great,
if somewhat creepy, atmosphere. This reminds me of Sonic Alter by Michael Mantra, to some degree.
- Indie-tronica artist Kristian Peters weighs in with "Tundra," an extremely organic (and I mean that in the sense of "like
a living organism" and "sounds like an organ") tonescape that functions rather like a lighter Thomas Köner. A great surprise,
and a fine track to lose oneself in.
- Jonathan Hughes (whose Trillium was unquestionably in my top five best discs last year) goes completely digitalist
with "Akvarell" a glitched-out sonic tone poem. Think Fennesz meets Eno and see if it doesn't blow your stack. Fantastic
work.
- Finally we have Richard Bone, admittedly never a favorite of mine, who supplies "Dzibana." The usual synth melodies are
there, but it's not sugary-sweet like much of the Bone work I've heard before. The piano playing is quite affecting, furnishing
a bittersweet finish to an extremely memorable compilation.
I don't think you'll hear a better traditional ambient compilation this year. The high quality of all the tracks, taken along
with its diversity of sound and talent make Harmony with Ambience a hard package to resist. Even the cover art--a
simple zen-like layout of washed-out organics--maintains the theme and professional look of the music within. I give this
compilation my highest rating--all fans of translucent soundscaping will surely be pleased with Harmony of Ambience's
multitude of pleasures.
From Windfarm Records.
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