Kamil Kowalczyk - Aurora

STYLE
June 2011
Minimal spacedrone, ambient abstract.
Aurora is made up of two longform recordings; dark, isolationist and spacey. The first of these beatless compositions fades in gradually as a single undulating thread of tone. Almost imperceptibly, additional elements trickle into the mix, percussive clicks and mechanical blip-click patterns thickening the sound. This relatively high pitch ambience alters little for almost eleven minutes before the central drone is joined by a deeper note an octave or two lower. Around the twenty two minute mark a second notable drop in pitch occurs. Gossamer electronic flutters dance faintly through the shadows and other distant sounds appear to hang deep within the music on the edge of hearing. Track two likewise fades out of nothingness to morph and evolve in ponderous, pulsing sparcity. Low beds of shifting tone writhe uneasily: clean and glassy here on 'plasma' as opposed to the more matt textured sound of 'model II'. The dominant texture-drones undulate in subtle rhythmic form, layered with surges and infusions of higher sound; pattered in places establishing partial cadence; atmospheric in others suggestive of faint nebulous colour.

ARTWORK
Artwork for Aurora is as minimal as the music: black and white graphics presented in a standard jewel case. The two-tone front cover image centres on the circling dots and blots of what appears to be a spiral galaxy. A second, more intense whorl is contained within two horizontal lines on the rear cover. Here beneath a repetition of the main title are track titles and brief website, email and writing/production details. The insert is a single sheet: the flip side repeating the letterboxed galaxy design with only the two track titles above.

OVERALL
Of Polish origin, writer/musician Kamil Kowalczyk currently resides in Scotland. An early interest in unusual audio and experimental synthetic sound led Kamil to begin recording his own music in 2002 resulting in a series of albums, six released in mp3 format on US Zenapolae net label. More recently he has begun taking on live performances and has established his own record label Prototyp Produktions Ltd. Aurora is Kamil's debut CD album on his own label, containing two long tracks, “model II” and “plasma” at thirty two minutes eleven seconds and twenty five minutes eight seconds respectively. Promotional material explains: "The main concept for album was conspiracy theory about Aurora – a top secret, ultra fast US Military aircraft, also called TR-3B, which has very advanced technology, and special engine driving by plasma… I have used almost exclusively Virsyn Tera for most sounds, which I create from scratch on this stunning synth."
You can hear the music at Kamil's record label website Prototyp Produktions Ltd.as well as purchase the CD.

ARTIST'S THOUGHTS
A debut CD album from sound artist/composer Kamil Kowalczyk. It contains two long tracks, “model II” and “plasma”. The main concept for album was conspiracy theory about Aurora – a top secret, ultra fast US Military aircraft, also called TR-3B, which has very advanced technology, and special engine driving by plasma…

Dan Pound - Medusazoa

STYLE
March 2011
Smooth, oceanic ambient electronica.
Medusazoa is an album of warm, fluid, mostly beatless synth environments. Drifting pads and velvety drones waft and mass around emergent pulse formations and rhythmic digital fragments. Liquid clicks and flecks trickle against synthetic vibrations or burble alongside repeating motifs; lazy scale patterns meander upward, downward; peculiar disturbances rustle and murmur and there are occasional sussurant flushes of turbulence. A downtempo beat arises midway through the title track, lazy and uncluttered; beguiling watery purring sounds cycling around. Some tracks centre mostly on the ponderous heave of layered drones, the flutter and flicker of rhythmic ephemera deep within. Others have subtle melodic elements: hypnotically repeating motifs; sparse piano phrases, electric guitar touches; these buoyant centres of regularity suspended in sequential tides or wandering afloat through ambient densities.

IN DEPTH
The title track opens with a luminous, repeating synthtic chime motif echoing upon an undulating low drone. Soon the melodic repetition drops off and an ambient bed opens out as if the listener has strayed into deeper water. Here a variation on the previous motif begins to well up with more of a piano sound, evolving and meandering until a second evaporation. Now a distinctly different liquid environment emerges that is more suggestive of surface water or at least of the presence of trapped air: laps and splashes rippling about a sybilant purring noise that recurrs in organic pairings establishing a loose rhythm. Drfiting piano notes once more provide intriguing melody, deep single tones and lazy higher runs. At around this mid point of the twelve minutes fifty three seconds of Medusazoa a serene beat fades in, simple hihats, programmed snare and lazy kick building around the nodding measure of the pulsing purr. For a while now this dreamy rhythmic pool of lilting piano melody floats in blissful reverie until the beat ebbs away at around the nine and a half minute mark. The purring remains a while upon a much more distant memory of percussion, reverberating piano phrases thinning out upon a low drone echoing the introduction until stillness. A very relaxing composition, highly evocative of the underwater environment Dan is summoning up and the delicate life forms upon which this album concentrates.

Gear List
Synthesiser.com analog modular system; Nord lead 2; Korg R3; Yamaha AN200, Korg Electribe; Dave Smith's Evolver; Roland XP-10, Fender Stratocaster, various effects, processors and sound shaping equipment..


ARTWORK
Medusazoa arrives in a jewel case with a single sheet insert. Artwork is all of saturated blue hues with soft-edged jellyfish forms hanging transparent in mid-distance. The front cover features a beautifully orange lit specimen, curling streamers and slender tentacles arcing in a graceful curve below. On the rear cover a number of the creatures form a loose cluster; some luminous and distinct, others vague, transparent. Track titles are here with times alongside, also website details and an email address. Within, the insert flip side presents an almost circular aspect with geometrical horseshoe shaped organs pinkly lit. A concise gear list sits here at the left foot. Behind the disc itself a veined close-up image, highlighting the inconsistent densities of these intriguing lifeforms.

OVERALL
US based Dan Pound has a discography as long as your arm and a musical resume to match. Having classical training for piano, guitar and double bass, Dan is an experienced composer for orchestra. He also has degrees in recording engineering and electronic music technology and currently specializes in producing music for film and multi-media. Dan works from his own studio and releases his music via his own recently established label Pound Sounds. This latest release, Medusazoa presents seven mid-length tracks ranging from the four minute six second Living Fossil to the fourteen minute plus Tentacles. Promotional material explains that this music was "made to accompany the fluid movements and colorful bio-luminescence of the jellyfish, flowing and drifting with the currents". Sound samples can be found on the Dan Pound website as well as a further description of the music.

ARTIST'S THOUGHTS
My personal feelings about this album are simply that this is exactly where I need to be right now musically and creatively. I finally feel like I have come into my own as an artist. No compromises or expectations. Just pure expression.
This is exactly the kind of music that I would listen to, even if it was not my own.

LABEL'S THOUGHTS
Get ready for your own liquid space aquarium music environment.
Based and built from analog modular synth drones, patches & effects, this is pure underwater dream zone music.
Made to accompany the fluid movements and colorful bio-luminescence of the jellyfish, flowing and drifting with the currents, the blend of sounds are surprisingly organic in their textures, and mix well with crustacean-like effects and poly-sequential, fractal rhythms & pulses.
Expansive, slow moving, aquarium-like environments are penetrated and felt deeply here.

Instruments used:
Synthesizer dot com modular system, Nord lead 2, Yamaha AN200, Korg Electribe, Dave Smith?s Evolver, Roland XP-10, Korg R-3, Fender Stratocaster, various effects, processors and sound shaping equipment.

Tracks:
1. Liquid Body 12:38
2. Under Her Spell 5:09
3. Living Fossil 4:06
4. Medusazoa 12:53
5. Tentacles 14:02
6. Bioluminescence 9:56
7. Currents 12:35

Inspired by the movements of fluidity and bio-luminescent colors of the jellyfish, this is an all out analog excursion of ambient liquid space.
Get ready for deep liquid space immersion with Medusazoa.

STYLE
March 2011
Downtempo psychill, lush electronica and acoustic performance. Inspirational Power opens with a gentle, beatless melodic piece built around a cycling, sequential pattern; distant male vocals hang wordlessly in the bright Autumn air; warm atmospherics; tranquil harmony. Chronos appears to be revelling in the beauty of digital sound on these tracks: gradual developments and expansive interludes in no rush to a final destination; beats that seem to inhabit the music rather than dominate; attractive melodic phrases and the intertwined twinkle of arpeggiators. There is a distinct sense of a musical journey to the album as the earlier restfulness develops into more climactic pieces with heavier grooves around the midway mark. Finally the music ascends spaceward via the synthetic sci-fi tones and philosophical musings of Optimistic Future and the meandering, ethereal, beat free concluder Forgiveness.


MOOD
The shifting mood here is often one of deep serenity and unhurried reverie. The intricacies of the beats are frequently offset by drifting ambient progressions and mesmerising evolving repetitions. There are spacey sections in places where the electronics take on a more sinewy, sharper-edged nature. Occasional global elements introduce touches of earthy exotica; most prominent on the folk remix of Sky Path: here flamenco style acoustic guitars juxtapose tribal drumming and Indian vocals before the track breaks wide open with an Irish reel played on distinctive uilleann pipes. There is even a progressive section with flute improvisation and a brief but distinct nineteen seventies vibe that arises during Deus Ex Machina.

ARTWORK
A jewel case presentation, Inspirational Power is fronted by a sharp graphic image of running figures upon interconnected cogs. Bold, black, dynamic - stare long enough and the whole things aches to move - set against a sleek icy grey ground that reflects the man machine in the foreground. The rear cover tracklist includes writing, production and collaborative credits laid out over greys and gears familiar from the flip side. Within, the double page spread of the insert is a rich presentation of photographs and text. There are performance shots highlighting the acoustic/electronic blend of Chronos' music with colourful instruments displayed and engrossed players at work. As well as the usual contact and technical details there is an interesting paragraph of background information on the artist.

OVERALL
Russian musician and sound designer Nick Klimenko delivers his third album as Chronos. Having collaborated back in 2009 with Catalizer on the Ajana release Quid est Veritas? he now follows up his debut solo of 2007 Steps to the Greater Knowledge. For Inspirational Power Chronos has turned to the Beats & Pieces label. There are ten tracks in all here that rise out of restful introspection gradually into dynamic downtempo psychedelia and global chill before floating right off through the stratosphere into infinite space. This album reveals Chronos to be a multifaceted project with both carefully crafted studio work and live performance aspects in evidence. The depth and colour of sound benefits from Nick's work developing virtual instruments and sound libraries as well as his collaborative relationships that give rise to some engrossing instrumentation threaded through the electronica.


WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM
Inspirational Power is one of those electronic albums that transcends the usual genre limitations; promotional material rightly claims that "it explores the paths between ambient, chillout, ethnic music and psychedelic hypnotic trance vibrations." Fans of colourful, deeply chilled psytrance will enjoy this release, so too will those with an interest in global dance music. The Beats & Pieces website holds listening material if you'd like to see for yourself.