World of Shadows by various artists

The Ambient Review

World of Shadows by various artists

Gianluigi Gasparetti, recording as Oöphoi, is no stranger to the self-released CDR. While many of his most memorable ambient works have appeared on labels like Amplexus and Electroshock, the vast majority of his work has appeared on very limited, self-created, CDR. It stands to reason, then, that Gasparetti's next step was to start his own label of home-made CDR releases. Umbra records might have threatened to be an outlet for only Oöphoi-related projects--as it turns out, it will also be the first opportunity for ambient fans to hear new and obscure artists from overseas. The first Umbra release, World of Shadows, is, appropriately, a multi-artist compilation outlining the future direction of the label, and serves as an interesting taster of artists both familiar and unfamiliar.

First up is Sostrah Tinnitus's track "Corifeo delle Rane"--a vaporous zone of gusty ambient, with clacking sounds resembling the processed ticking of clocks. Synth washes rise and fall amidst the clattering bone sounds of various objects. The feeling here is of a less organic Alio Die, though the sounds change more progressively over the track's relatively short length. What seems like organized chaos at first turns out to be rather orderly in the end, with a wall-of-sound climax followed by a dramatic, classical coda. Having heard Sostrah Tinnitus's two albums (one on Umbra, the other on Beyond Productions), I can say that this is not the most exemplary track by the artist, but functions well as a teaser for those superior albums.

Next is the impressive "Nocte Sublustri" by newcomer Netherworld. Dark, isolationist ambience in the vein of Thomas Köner can be found here, right down to the otherworldly bass thumps. A thick drone with various bleak synth-impressions ebbs along; a vision of the blackest kind of space. Distant scrapings of metal or stone, highly reverbed, are heard--perhaps the hidden movement of planets, tectonic plates, the mandibles of a giant insect. An auspicious debut for this artist; his first album Hermetic Thoughts perhaps one to look out for.

Next is frequent Oöphoi collaborator Tau Ceti, and his track "Sator Arepo." Shades of Celestial Geometries here, with a harrowing, slow synth line low in the mix. The more eerie portions of Michael Stearns's Encounter make for a strange excursion into deep space. The track meanders, bassy vibrations breaking up the claustrophobic blackness from time to time--similar to Lustmord, but without the grand guignol theatrics. A fine track, even if a little standard.

Klaus Wiese and Oöphoi give us "Hieros Gamos" next, featuring Wiese's instantly recognizable Tibetan singing-bowl atmospheres. These drones are combined with creepy whispering straight out of Oöphoi's Night Currents and extremely potent synth textures that glide through the speakers. Headphone listening is recommended. A reverent, mystical atmosphere is created--perfect for the deepest night listening when the world is still, aside from the drifting tones of the music.

Another new artist, Perceptual Defense, is next with "The Last Tear." This track is similar to Tau Ceti in mood--a synth-created atmosphere of intense blackness, with only strange waveform sounds lancing across the skies. The terrain here is bleak, melancholy; VidnaObmana-style synthclouds pervasive along with the deep space droning. This track is good, though fairly one-dimensional over its length.

Finally, Oöphoi closes the album with the twenty-three minute "Substance Metallique." Similar in feel to his recent set of EPs, Dreams, "Substance" is extremely quiet, almost at the edge of audible. It is as if one is looking out from a pier at a vast ocean, stretching into seemingly infinite distance. Occasionally one notices vague movement, unusual sounds echoing across the water. The most action is, however, beneath the surface, hidden from view. Perhaps not the strongest Oöphoi track, often due to the extreme quiet of the track--it wisps in and out of the listener's consciousness a little too readily, too ambient for its own good. Bleak and mysterious, but ultimately hollow.

World of Shadows's various tracks certainly suit the bleak title, while showcasing the interesting artists of Umbra records. The album lacks diversity due to the narrow focus of all the artists on bleak, deep ambience, but is also of extremely high quality. Perhaps, when taken as a total, World of Shadows can seem as too much of a good thing--each track melding with the next until one can no longer discern just who one listening to. The quiet nature of these tracks, perhaps from the mastering process, forces the listener to increase the volume in order to hear what's going on. Headphone listening is not only recommended, but almost necessary to appreciate what’s going on in each track. Even at higher volumes, some of these tracks (most specifically the final Oöphoi track) seem too ethereal for their own good--it's simply too easy to drift off and lose track of what one is listening to. Nevertheless, World of Shadows is a worthy sampler of Umbra's label focus. Ambient fans who prefer a little more sonic "meat" to their recordings would do well to steer clear. Those who can't get enough of ambiguous, shrouded, soundscaping will likely already have this album, limited to ninety-nine copies, in their collections.

Released on Umbra records.

since July 15, 2003