Thursday 8 February 2024

Two Faces Music 40

 









36 - Reality Engine, album review


36 Ambient Words…

Reviewing ambient music like this would, it seems from those who normally do, require a flamboyant mix of technical jargon refined to ‘ambient’ synonyms and further refined (or exploded) to philosophical ruminations.

 

Take the tags on Reality Engine’s Bandcamp page for this release: ambient / ambient electronic / atmospheric / dark ambient / deep / drone / electronica / electronica ambient / ethereal / meditation / minimal / dub / soundscape / soundscapes / techno / Indianapolis

 

I presume this is produced by an algorithm? Whatever the source, it is itself fascinating. The ambience in the list of ambient is a necessary torchbearer for meaningfulness, though the adjectival dark would be better replaced as a qualifier if it was meditative. Atmospheric is quite apt, though I would shape this with emotive somehow. Dub? Surely digital is a more apt d-word. I like the sense of important difference implied by soundscape and soundscapes, though this is clearly tautological. Minimal? I think it is the opposite: expansive or loop-large… Yes, neologisms would do.

 

My favourite tag-word here? Ethereal.

 

To this I will add gorgeous, peaceful, restful, restorative.

 

Done.

 

For more info and to get, go here.

Wednesday 27 December 2023

Into the Distance Music 120








 

Some Awe's Best of 2023


In Alphebetical Order

ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross
Baby Rose - Through and Through
Bastards Of Soul - Give It Right Back
Beth Malcolm - Kissed and Cried
Black Oak Arkansas - The Devil's Jukebox
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond
Buddy & Julie Miller - In The Throes
Brad - In The Moment That You're Born
Chris Stapleton – Higher
Christine and the Queens - PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE
Corinne Bailey Rae - Black Rainbows
Dylan LeBlanc – Coyote
Feist – Multitudes
Fiona Grond – Poesias
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Hiss Golden Messenger - Jump for Joy
Holly & The Reivers - Three Galleys Irreversible Entanglements - Protect Your Light
Israel Nash – Ozarker
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
John Francis Flynn - Look Over the Wall, See the Sky
Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter - SuperBlue; The Iridescent Spree
Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Lauren Watkins - Introducing The Heartbreak
Lisa O'Neill - All of This Is Chance
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - Sticks and Stones
Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View
Meg Baird – Furling
Nashville Ambient Ensemble - Light and Space
Molina, Talbot, Lofgren & Young - All Roads Lead Home
Neil Young - Chrome Dreams
Nguyên Lê - Silk and Sand
Nils Lofgren – Mountains
Nils Petter Molvær - Certainty of Tides
Nitin Sawhney – Identity
Olivia Dean – Messy
Paul Simon - Seven Psalms
Piers Faccini - Songs I Love Volume II
Rita Wilson - Rita Wilson Now & Forever Duets
Rival Sons – Lightbringer
Robin Trower, Sari Schorr - Joyful Sky
Róisín Murphy - Hit Parade
Rufus Wainwright – Folkocracy
St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Angels in Science Fiction
Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds
The Soul Motivators - Do It Together
William Prince - Stand in the Joy
Willie Nelson - Bluegrass

Some Observations

These days I listen to as much music as ever, but reviews have lessened and lessened: I tend to devote my writing time to other interests. 

Favourite albums of the year are: Róisín Murphy - Hit Parade for its original and often eccentric interpretations which make it such a joy to listen to, and The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds for its signature, unoriginal sound which make it such a joy to listen to.

These two and the following are albums I returned to again and again: ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross  (gorgeous); Buddy & Julie Miller - In The Throes (a return to form); Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes (storytelling songwriting);  John Francis Flynn - Look Over the Wall, See the Sky (sublime, distinctive 'folk'); Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View (this should be my third favourite); Paul Simon - Seven Psalms (this should be my fourth favourite); William Prince - Stand in the Joy (great songs / great vocal)