Review Corner

Category: Ambient

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    Adam Baldych: Sacrum Profanum

    Brexit, traffic noise, that shouty boss, arguing neighbours: if anything’s doing your head in, this may well be the answer; even the first few seconds rinse out the space between your ears. Polish violinist Baldych was once (say the release notes) hailed by a German newspaper as having “the finest technique among all living violinists…

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    Lars Danielsson/Paolo Fresu: Summerwind

    Some albums simply blindside you: a few plays of moderate attention and suddenly you love it. Such is the case with this minimalist late night jazz album that leans towards trip hop. We initially thought the laid-back set would be for people who find late night jazz too loud. As its depths began to unfold,…

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    Tiny Magnetic Pets: Deluxe Debris

    This lot are from Dublin and the reviews we read (it’s a small city, they all seem to know each other) talk of their Krautrock influences, Bowie’s Berlin albums and Gary Numan but, in reality, none of it is that dark or original. What it is, is Hotel-era and later Moby, except without his budget.…

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    Tõnu Kõrvits: Moorland Elegies

    We may not know a whole lot about classical music, but we know a lot about moorland, having spent many a happy hour tramping hills. We can never listen to certain pieces by Elgar without hearing the wind blowing through the grass on the Malvern Hills at dusk. This nine-part cycle for mixed choir and…

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    Silent Riders: Silent Riders

    Enigmatic is the word for this Danish electronic band. They wear masks on stage, are known only as Lu, Gee and C and play minimalistic music in the style of Portishead and Massive Attack. Of course, mononomic (is that a word?) stage names and masks are not new — Portishead and Massive Attack were pioneers;…

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    55 Cancri e: Att Lämna Tellus

    Starting the year on a wacky note is Sara Hausenkamp’s new album, Att Lämna Tellus or leaving Tellus as you doubtless translated it from the original foreign. Hausenkamp is Swedish and learned classical guitar as a child before playing keyboard in different bands as teenager. She also makes illustrations, collages and photos, and writes, paints…

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    Alpines: Another River

    Alpines’ debut Oasis was released two years ago, well-made electronica pop/dance with an upbeat feel. Another River is similar but more downbeat in sound, with more slower tracks. There are no real standouts but it’s a nice mood album, good for late night or early morning. Rather than standouts there are nice moments: the charged…

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    Trainspotting: OST

    Trainspotting was a hit film in 1996, both the film and the Britpop soundtrack summed up the state of the UK at the time. Britpop was never our cup of tea, with a few exceptions; rock stars shouldn’t hobnob with prime ministers either. Pulp and a few others aside, there were loads of rubbish bands…

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    Apothek: Apothek

    Apothek are a duo from Oslo, and have that Norwegian sound to them, which is lo-fi and sounding like it was recorded in a cosy room with a big fire (which it might have been, given their climate). It’s got the same intimate air as Choir of Young Believers, also from Norway. Musically, it’s subtly…

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    Sigvards Klava: Arvo Pärt, Da Pacem Domine

    To call this CD awe-inspiring is like saying the Grand Canyon is big or Formula One noisy. Just as the Grand Canyon is so big it’s hard to take in the first time you see it, this is so awe-inspiring that it knocks the senses a little at the first play through. We visited Auschwitz…