Various Artists - Summer 2010 Collection

STYLE
Contemporary electronic chillout. The Summer 2010 Collection from Cymbidium is a warm album of lustrous synthetic glitch and electro-beat both vocal and instrumental. There are pieces here with something of a modern lounge vibe; others that have a fractured, experimental feel; moments where the electro-pop of the nineteen eighties is called to mind; slick jazzy montage sounds and relaxing, soulful female vocals. Sensuous, muted sax juxtaposes dappled light textures and tinkling metallics on Sleep Mode, the opener from Saine; an effected beatbox groove contrasts the dreamy male voice singing on MC Hossni and DJ God Wind's track Traveling. Kaneel's Loquace ranges from dreamy wobbling arpeggios against flickering clicky percussion to an intense zappy tremolo sound collage. Cut and paste sampled speech, languid piano and static texture, crunchy programmed rhythms and serene melody - this collection doesn't stand still for too long.


ARTWORK
Summer 2010 Collection features the cover artwork that you can see to the above left. A vibrant female portrait in shades of saturated orange where photographic elements blend with hand drawn line art and graphic enhancements. Since this is a digital release this crisp design by Oliver Cartwright is the only visual content.

OVERALL
Helsinki based independent recording company Cymbidium Records delivers a sharp compilation of electronic downtempo fleshing out an already well established discography (the label having been in action since 2005). The ten tracks here feature artists from Finland and beyond, some that have released albums of their own via Cymbidium as well as some less well established acts. The music has been chosen for inclusion by Costi, supervised by Saine and delivers a constantly changing eclectic chilled landscape with influences ranging from IDM, ambient groove and experimental electronica to urban abstract, jazz and funk. The album is a digital release and can be sampled in full both at Morpheus Music as well as at the Cymbidium website.