eyebient

the music magazine dedicated to the ambient music scene eyebient@gmail.com

Apr 4

The Knife - Shaking The Habitual

I listened to the new The Knife album. Several times. I figured that if siblings presented a few tracks of the classics of the genre on this album, which are not just ambient interludes (since almost all of them take the few minutes), this record should be reviewed here, on eyebient. So, I review this part of the album you can tag as ambient music. You can not accuse The Knife of dilettantism in terms of modern ambient music. Yes, they are oriented and it’s pretty good. But why they record tracks of which sound oscillates less than on the level of the average ambient artists beginners? Do unremarkable piece that is anointed by the brilliant (so far) band should be considered as a better one cause they tried new genre? Do not kid yourself, this album sparkles with tacky ideas and shocks with its secondariness. Perhaps for someone who only heard Hecker and Oneohtrix Point Never in terms of ambient music recently, ‘Shaking The Habitual’ will not disappoint even with the amateurish approach to the subject or even this kind of children’s approach meet with enthusiasm. The culmination of unforgivable sins is ‘Fracking Fluid Injection’. As the comment I suggest listening to Megafortress ‘My Favorite Girl’, which was released on the EP more than one year ago. It’s hard not to get to the malice but I have to comment: what will be next in ambient music? Brian Eno played by Coco Rosie toys?


Apr 3

Phillip Wilkerson ‎– Calusa

At this time, in this latitude when everyone eagerly look outside the snow drifts to find at least a few signs of the spring, the sounds of birds seem to be delightful music. Here we have birds and other sounds: airplanes, cars, talking, whispering. Here, in addition to a successful concept, we also have the pleasure of listening to the messengers of spring paradoxically recorded in January, February, March…


Mar 29

Mary Lattimore – The Withdrawing Room

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Mary Lattimore - Kurt Vile’s contributor presents us her solo project which is clearly close to the achievements of outstanding harpist - Joanna Newsom. We can see very quickly that technically Lattimore is equally talented. However, compositionally they are from different worlds. Considerable length tracks from ‘The Withdrawing Room’ are interesting romance between classic paths and electronic experimentation. Harp’s elegance is swallowed up by the laptop, but music in general is not losing, but gaining. Because the newly generated sounds make this music without an idyll ambience but with more of splendor.


Sean McCann - Prelusion

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A little more plush version of Billow Observatory. Despite its lightness and delicacy is a very professional approach to the legacy of Stars Of The Lid. Oneiric quiet sounds with us immersed in the buffer pleasant reverie.


Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree ‎– Origin

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This recording which affirms the great open spaces, space odyssey and blue of deep oceans and which was performed by two handsome musicians does not touch pathos (fortunately), but it  moves on  the muddy ground titled ‘we have heard it in the music many times already’. Finally the whole presents a decently well.


Mountains – Centralia

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I was reading reviews in a few magazines and I noticed that now everyone likes Mountains. I saw, maybe not the admiration yet but definitely really good rates, probably the best for  the duo recordings. Well, these guys do not discover new lands, personally I prefer listening to solo albums recorded by Koen Holtkamp. The main problem of Centralia (for me) is the fact it has no any spark which could raise this music above the correctness.


Marsen Jules – The Endless Change Of Colour

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Consequently, during tens minutes Marsen Jules spins the seemingly monochrome story. Shades are painted here by the different vibrations of the same drone. At all times we have the impression that it is a journey in search of harmony. Afterwards we realize that this trip is kind of harmony we were looking for.


Grouper - The Man Who Died in His Boat

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The year 2009, Cracow, Poland, Liz Harris comes out of the old cinema building, in which she played her intimate concert, she assumes hood over her head and goes into the street passing between people. In a while she probably will disappear behind the door of grocery store. In the case of the artist as Grouper, every story becomes a fairytale with mythical aura. Regardless of whether it’s happening in the forest or in the sea in the middle of childhood or in realistic industrial Polish street. That is the power of her music, the power of a properly delicacy that make up a certain mystique. If I only heard these stories in 2009, I would listen to them   like a 5-year old child with open mouth. Today, I’m sorry for yawning. Liz Harris went back to the same old cinema building.


Jan 6
EYEBIENT TOP 15 AMBIENT ALBUMS OF 2012
The year 2012 was an interesting year in terms of experimental sounds. First of all, this year was good for niche albums, which were not shining on famous sites with music, but those definitely deserve attention. Some of them are quite innovative not only in terms of ambient records. The recapitulation of the most interesting (in my opinion) full-length ambient album below. Intentionally, there’s no EPs on the list but two of them certainly deserve honorable mention: Megafortress ‘Megafortress’ and Anonymeye ‘Six Improvisations for Computer and Guitar’ .
————————————————————————————————————
15. Marielle V Jakobsons - Glass Canyon 
 
The subtle combination of innovative electronics with classical compositions and instruments. Beautiful harmonies construction and even more beautiful their de-construction.
————————————————————————————————————
14. Sad Souls – Apeiron
 
Pop-ambient album which is a legacy of the chillwave spirit surprises us back with simplicity and melodiousness.————————————————————————————————————
13. Pinkcourtesyphone - Elegant & Detached
 
One of the two works by Richard Chartier as Pinkcourtesyphone this year has the lightness of swedish Air France and sublime taste of 60s cinema. Hitchcock on top form.————————————————————————————————————
12. Brian Eno - Lux
 
Maybe it is not yet the return to the level of Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks but it certainly is one of the most successful albums recorded by master for at least twenty years.
————————————————————————————————————
11. “Blue” Gene Tyranny - Detours
 
Oscillating around old Harold Budd variations brilliant jazz-ambient album at the same time telling us the story of one day and the whole of life.  Subtly, we can touch the legend of contemporary and avant-gard music.
————————————————————————————————————
10. Isnaj Dui – Abstracts On Solitude

The uniqueness of this album isn’t only deep immersion in the buffer of impressionism but it is primarily a consequence of which the author creates additional tracks which are apparently separate worlds connected to the main atom and infected with the main Debussy concepts of music. ————————————————————————————————————
9. Billow Observatory - Billow Observatory

Dark ambient at various stages of taming. That’s what we hear it’s not dark ambient. Listening to this album first of all makes us damn pleasure.
————————————————————————————————————
8. Jonas Munk - Pan

Associations and associations. Music Is Painting In The Air (2012). Andersen. Scandinavia. Mastery of krautrock landscapes.
————————————————————————————————————
7. d’Eon – Music For Keyboards Vol. 1

Remains of the Day. Beautiful sound spots. Melting snow turns into gold. One of the best contemporary R’n’B experimentalists surprises us with modest but experimental brilliant album for airports. A Beautiful Mind. d’Eon.
————————————————————————————————————
6. Motion Sickness of Time Travel - Motion Sickness of Time Travel

The universe. Whe multiverse. The mastery of combining in perfect system of communicating vessels.

————————————————————————————————————
5. Pinkcourtesyphone – Foley Folly Folio

Incredible journey to the fairy-tale worlds. Alice in Wonderland? Who killed Laura Palmer?
————————————————————————————————————
4. Jack Jutson - MOTHER OFFICIAL

This album has therapeutic value, even a little better than the lavender bath or listening to the noise of the sea. Paradoxically, the album is also one of the most psychedelic of experimental frequencies revealed in 2012. And it’s not only about the noise but more about bipolar feeling. Anxiety and calmness.
————————————————————————————————————
3. Catherine Christer Hennix & Chora(s)san Time-Court Mirage - Live At The Grimm Museum Volume One

This is without a doubt one of the most demanding records of the year. Catherine Christer Hennix and her band make things which seem to be impossible. Stockausen for human beings. Effect breathtaking.
————————————————————————————————————
2. Panabrite - Baroque Atrium

Apart from the fact that Norm Chambers released this album and proved that his new records can be totally different and equally valuable as music associated with his alias Jürgen Müller, ‘Baroque Atrium’ is a masterpiece of contemporary new age. In fact, one might believe that everything here is organic and even synthesizer sounds like field recording.
————————————————————————————————————
1. France Jobin - Valence
 
Despite the fact that ‘Valence’ could be the best illustration for the scientific presentations, of which many could dream including Stephen Hawking, this album shows that in such a simple and beautiful in its simplicity music, so many new things can be happen. Modern, because this album is a masterwork of innovative shots of harmony between music and silence. ‘Valence’ is also a form of meditation, and meditation in music is something what really attracts me: searching for aspects of sleep, calmness and quiet.

EYEBIENT TOP 15 AMBIENT ALBUMS OF 2012

The year 2012 was an interesting year in terms of experimental sounds. First of all, this year was good for niche albums, which were not shining on famous sites with music, but those definitely deserve attention. Some of them are quite innovative not only in terms of ambient records. The recapitulation of the most interesting (in my opinion) full-length ambient album below. Intentionally, there’s no EPs on the list but two of them certainly deserve honorable mention: Megafortress ‘Megafortress’ and Anonymeye ‘Six Improvisations for Computer and Guitar’ .

————————————————————————————————————

15. Marielle V Jakobsons - Glass Canyon 

Opis: mage image

The subtle combination of innovative electronics with classical compositions and instruments. Beautiful harmonies construction and even more beautiful their de-construction.

————————————————————————————————————

14. Sad Souls – Apeiron

Opis: mage image

Pop-ambient album which is a legacy of the chillwave spirit surprises us back with simplicity and melodiousness.————————————————————————————————————

13. Pinkcourtesyphone - Elegant & Detached

Opis: mage image

One of the two works by Richard Chartier as Pinkcourtesyphone this year has the lightness of swedish Air France and sublime taste of 60s cinema. Hitchcock on top form.————————————————————————————————————

12. Brian Eno - Lux

Opis: mage image

Maybe it is not yet the return to the level of Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks but it certainly is one of the most successful albums recorded by master for at least twenty years.

————————————————————————————————————

11. “Blue” Gene Tyranny - Detours

image image

Oscillating around old Harold Budd variations brilliant jazz-ambient album at the same time telling us the story of one day and the whole of life.  Subtly, we can touch the legend of contemporary and avant-gard music.

————————————————————————————————————

10. Isnaj Dui – Abstracts On Solitude

Opis: mage

imageThe uniqueness of this album isn’t only deep immersion in the buffer of impressionism but it is primarily a consequence of which the author creates additional tracks which are apparently separate worlds connected to the main atom and infected with the main Debussy concepts of music. ————————————————————————————————————

9. Billow Observatory - Billow Observatory

Opis: mage

imageDark ambient at various stages of taming. That’s what we hear it’s not dark ambient. Listening to this album first of all makes us damn pleasure.

————————————————————————————————————

8. Jonas Munk - Pan

Opis: mage

imageAssociations and associations. Music Is Painting In The Air (2012). Andersen. Scandinavia. Mastery of krautrock landscapes.

————————————————————————————————————

7. d’Eon – Music For Keyboards Vol. 1

Opis: mage

imageRemains of the Day. Beautiful sound spots. Melting snow turns into gold. One of the best contemporary R’n’B experimentalists surprises us with modest but experimental brilliant album for airports. A Beautiful Mind. d’Eon.

————————————————————————————————————

6. Motion Sickness of Time Travel - Motion Sickness of Time Travel

Opis: mage

imageThe universe. Whe multiverse. The mastery of combining in perfect system of communicating vessels.

————————————————————————————————————

5. Pinkcourtesyphone – Foley Folly Folio

Opis: mage

imageIncredible journey to the fairy-tale worlds. Alice in Wonderland? Who killed Laura Palmer?

————————————————————————————————————

4. Jack Jutson - MOTHER OFFICIAL

Opis: mage

imageThis album has therapeutic value, even a little better than the lavender bath or listening to the noise of the sea. Paradoxically, the album is also one of the most psychedelic of experimental frequencies revealed in 2012. And it’s not only about the noise but more about bipolar feeling. Anxiety and calmness.

————————————————————————————————————

3. Catherine Christer Hennix & Chora(s)san Time-Court Mirage - Live At The Grimm Museum Volume One

Opis: mage

imageThis is without a doubt one of the most demanding records of the year. Catherine Christer Hennix and her band make things which seem to be impossible. Stockausen for human beings. Effect breathtaking.

————————————————————————————————————

2. Panabrite - Baroque Atrium

Opis: mage

imageApart from the fact that Norm Chambers released this album and proved that his new records can be totally different and equally valuable as music associated with his alias Jürgen Müller, ‘Baroque Atrium’ is a masterpiece of contemporary new age. In fact, one might believe that everything here is organic and even synthesizer sounds like field recording.

————————————————————————————————————

1. France Jobin - Valence

 Opis: mage

imageDespite the fact that ‘Valence’ could be the best illustration for the scientific presentations, of which many could dream including Stephen Hawking, this album shows that in such a simple and beautiful in its simplicity music, so many new things can be happen. Modern, because this album is a masterwork of innovative shots of harmony between music and silence. ‘Valence’ is also a form of meditation, and meditation in music is something what really attracts me: searching for aspects of sleep, calmness and quiet.


Dec 29

Jack Jutson - MOTHER OFFICIAL

10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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- The sough.

- The sough? What is it actually? The sound of analog tape? The sound from TV after the end of broadcasting? The rain? And underneath are the nice sounds.

- The sough calms me, it is like the sound of the sea. Maybe you would have not discovered the beauty of those sounds without sough sound attached?

- I wonder if it is a dedication to the mother or is that debut tape which is the forerunner?

- It’s a pity that so few people have heard of this album, I think it’s a masterpiece.

- Why do you think like that? Due to the association to ‘Disintegration Loops’?

- No, please, without these big names. This album is more than just the ability to initiate me into a state of calmness, something more, but I still do not know what it is exactly. 

- I know what you mean, usually I discover it after a while. You need of meditation state for that. I know it sounds corny, but it’s more about deepness I guess. 

- I think you are right. You need more than lavender, grassy meadows and singing birds. This album is like music about the silence. And you also need that for understanding.

- And simplicity is the best point to lead in this direction?

- I guess. 

- “Mama there’s wolves in the house, Mama they won’t let me out…”


1991 - 1991

7/10

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The postmodern fairy tale oscillating around ambience of Balam Acab, Boards of Canada and silent Vatican Shadon in a soft version. 


Anonymeye - Six Improvisations for Computer and Guitar

9/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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An author of outstanding Anontendre (second place in the recapitulation of 2011: http://eyebient.tumblr.com/post/15301165956/eyebient-recapitulation-of-best-ambient-albums-in) returns with his distinctive recognizable original style. This time we are suspended over huge tracts of the Rocky Mountains. Short but beautiful tracks perfectly reflect our longing for something that we have never experienced, revealing of film nature of our desires, that we can fulfill only on the computer screen. This year belonged to the Australians. Kevin Parker from Tame Impala re-defined the sound of The Beatles. Anonymeye re-defines what used to be called an acoustic sound.


Dec 26

d’Eon ‎– Music For Keyboards Vol. 1

9/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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If I did not know the artist, I would think that I found unknown album recorded by Brian Eno at the end of the 60s. Simple, beautiful musical sparks. Once, related with visions of the cosmic space, in the other hand they remind chambers in claustrophobic clubs drowning in a haze of jazz. But mostly about the same, about brief moments of fleeting beauty.


Jonas Munk - Pan

9/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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I listen and I imagine The Wonderful Adventures of Nils told by krautrock. Of course, you can imagine millions of kitschy images illustrating the composition of wild geese departing. However, this album is tritely saying  ’something’ which deprives this theme of kitsch. I am able to believe that this music fully clearly shows what is most important in this story: the transformation. And the fantastic passages will add a psychedelic charm to this story.


M. Geddes Gengras - Purity

8/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Co-creator of beautiful dub album recorded with Sun Araw & The Congos continues his solo track regaling us psychedelic looped fears. The words: stunned and hypnagogic fit. Traveling at very high altitudes. 


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