{"id":9903,"date":"2017-09-04T12:10:26","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T11:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.cronicaelectronica.org\/?p=9903"},"modified":"2017-09-04T12:10:26","modified_gmt":"2017-09-04T11:10:26","slug":"shadows-and-reflections-reviewed-by-ambientblog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.cronicaelectronica.org\/?p=9903","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shadows and Reflections\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0reviewed by AmbientBlog"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nWith his impressive back catalogue, Monty Adkins has become one of my favourite artists (if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not familiar with his work, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forget checking out Four Shibusa, Rift Patterns, Borderlands and Unfurling Streams).
\nSo it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s great news when two new albums are released almost simultaneously:<\/p>\n

The first of these two is Shadows And Reflections, released on the Cr\u00c3\u00b3nica label in a cassette and download version.
\n(No CD version to my regret, since I think this album deserves a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcproper\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 release with a better sound quality than the cassette tapes can offer. But, judging on their latest releases, tape is the medium of choice currently for Cr\u00c3\u00b3nica.. Of course ordering the tape also includes a high-quality download too).<\/p>\n

The album presents two 20 minute tracks (Sounds of the Shadow and Sounds of the Sun), built from organ samples performed and recorded by Monty Adkins. On first listen this could be classified as drone music, but in fact a lot is happening in the layering of the organ sounds, and the pieces build up to a climax in a way that defies the strict definition of \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcdrone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122. (Not that this matters in any way, though)<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153In the two parts of the work Adkins wanted to induce a sense of mediation, contemplation and reflection. He wanted the sound to be constantly, though in some instances imperceptibly, changing so that one remained mindful of the music rather than allowing it to drift in to the periphery of one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s consciousness. For Adkins, the focusing on a single organ timbre over an extended duration encourages a more attentive perception as the ear is drawn in to the micro-fluctuations within each of the extended phrases. One\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sense of time is dilated and there is a sense of envelopment within the soundworld.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no mention of what organ is used for the recordings, but there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a strong association with the timbres of a church organ. Which would be appropriate, because these pieces were created for a multimedia exhibition at the Bradford Cathedral to interact with fourteen paintings by Andy Fullalove (as well as with the light from the stained glass windows in the Cathedral). An example of Fullalove\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work can be seen on the album cover.<\/p>\n

Listening to this music (with the acoustics of the large cathedral it was played in) while enjoying the interaction of the paintings with the ever changing light must\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been a moving experience. When listening to it in your private surroundings, the visual part is missing of course. But it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still a moving experience anyway. Peter van Cooten<\/em><\/p>\n

via AmbientBlog<\/a><\/p>\n