AMBIENT LANDSCAPES 2: Ambient Landscapes 2

Ambient Landscapes 2

Ambient Landscapes 2

© 2000 Dark Duck Records (783707217123)

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Ambient, deep chill, and atmospheric music that floats and drifts on peaceful currents of sound.

tracks

1 Excelsior - Conscious Freq
2 Twine - Illumination
3 E. Voice P. - Entered Apprentice
4 Dreamstate - Alpha Waves
5 Alan Imberg - Overview of Water
6 Subspace - Nebulunar
7 Deep Chill Network - Explorations
8 Stephen Philips - On the Edge
9 James Johnson - Drift

notes

Washington, DC-based Dark Duck Records is proud to present 'Ambient Landscapes 2.' A compilation of new and innovative ambient, deep chill, and atmospheric music.

Included in the compilation are Dark Duck Records artists Stephen Philips, Deep Chill Network, and Excelsior who have been plotting a new course of ambient for the last 6 years and whose music has been featured on many radio programs around the world.

Also joining the mix is Chicago-based ambienteer James Johnson, whose CD 'Unity' was awarded 'Best Ambient Album of 1998' (Wind & Wire magazine) and whose latest release 'Live Under A Harvest Moon' (live with Ma Ja Le) is already turning the ambient world on its heels.

Ohio-based Twine (Chad Mossholder and Greg Malcolm) have been making waves recently at AdAstra Records with their new form of experimental ambient techno, and Toronto-based ambient soundscape artists dreamSTATE™ (Scott McGregor Moore and Jamie Todd) have been single-handedly carving out the ambient scene in Toronto.

Also included are several newcomers who are already making their presence known. Subspace (Jonathan Hughes) who records stunningly beautiful drifting ambient for Sunburst Fifty Music, San Francisco bay area resident Alan Imberg whos sonically processed brand of guitar ambient has been featured in local independent films, and all the way from The Netherlands come e. Voice p. (Serge Marinec and Andrei Vasiljev) who have been collecting samples and composing ambient music for several years.

reviews

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  • If you like submarines and fishtanks...
    author: SA Sun Dog

    I did not like the first two songs. I tried them several times, in different moods and surroundings, but I could not make them work for me. The rest of the album, however, was a splendid trip. I happened to be playing with a pair of baking powder-powered toy subs, watching them cruise around the fish tank, and it was an unexpectedly trippy experience. I highly recomend baking powder subs, aquariums, and this CD.

  • author: CD Baby

    Ambient, deep chill, and atmospheric music that floats and drifts on peaceful currents of sound.

  • Awesome!
    author: AmbiEntrance

    If we consider beatless freeform explorations to be a sonic language, then we may hear Ambient Landscapes 2 as the sound of Various Artists communicating in their own musical dialects. Nine (well, eight since Dark Duck flock leader Stephen Philips puts in double duty...) contributors of varying renown speak in abstract musical tongues for more than 72 minutes... Listen up! Two pieces have been previously heard on the artists' own releases (namely, Twine's whispery, echoey, beatless slur of "Illumination", and Subspace's hushed drift-and-guitar journey of "Nebulunar") but the rest are previously unreleased recordings. Excelsior (an alias of Stephen Philips) emits the brief dark electric pulsations and waves of "Concious Freq" (3:39), which effectively introduce this amorphous collection. An appreciated newcomer (AFAIK), e. voice p.'s moodily medieval "Entered Apprentice" takes an oblique turn on a drone-and-(modified) chant theme with assorted interjections of archaic industry. Nice! In a series of transportive electronic washes, dreamSTATE describes ethereal serenity with "Alpha Waves". Alan Imberg presents his "Overview of Water" as hypnotically rippling tones tied together with echoey strands. Beginning on flatly churning electron rays, Deep Chill Network's "Explorations" (14:20) ventures slowly into zones of glassy shimmers and radiant sheens. "On the Edge", the next Stephen Philips contribution, steadily hovers in a suspenseful mood, concluding on spooky e-piano notes. I can't imagine a more appropriate title for "Drift"; whereas some of these tracks probe the darker regions, James Johnson's gorgeous 12.5 minute finale simply wafts on heavenly currents of starshine and light. The communications from Ambient Landscapes 2 are not only to be listened to, but to be immersed in. If these are ambient conversations, then let these speakers "talk" for hours. An entranced 9.0... Of course, the Dark Duck website has more info and sounds. 5/00 -- Review by David J Opdyke

  • Classic traditional ambient
    author: EER Music Reviews

    So far, 2000 has been an exceptional year for ambient music. The new releases that have come across my listening device have been filled with interesting sounds and evocative sonic passages. This compilation from Stephen Philips' "Dark Duck" label is an example of the high class of 2000. Remember, new readers and listeners, that "ambient" can't be judged by the standards you use for either popular or classical music. Someone used to "mainstream" music will say, "Ambient DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE!" The more mainstream genres depend on development, progression, and structure to move their message. Ambient, though, depends on pure sound, repetition, and emotional evocation for its power, though the previous three musical virtues can be present in some degree too. This being said, the nine tracks on AMBIENT LANDSCAPES 2 represent the best in current ambient creativity. There is the shimmering ironic nostalgia of Twine's "Illumination"(cut 2), and the metallic sound-edges of dreamSTATE's "Alpha Waves" (cut 4) which is led by a seamless transition into Alan Imberg's contemplative, cool "Overview of Water" (cut 5). My favorite piece on the whole album is cut 3, the dramatic, spooky industrial/gothic "Entered Apprentice" (title is from Freemasonry!) by the enigmatically named "e.Voice p.," who are really two Eastern European gentlemen named Serge Marinec and Andrei Vasiljev. This could be the soundtrack for a cinematic chase sequence through some infernal industrial underworld. Stephen Philips, the producer and Dark Duck originator, has three pieces on the album, one under his "Deep Chill Network" imprint, one under the name "Excelsior," and one in his own name. "Explorations," from "Deep Chill," (cut 7) is cut from the same ice as his previous "Heart of the Tundra," featuring extended bell-like tones, while Excelsior's "Conscious Freq" (cut 1) sends forth droning flatline fifths. Philips' own "On the Edge" softly whispers ominous electronic rumors into your ear. The album ends with James Johnson's ultra-restful floating electronic chords in "Drift" (cut 9) which for some reason, unlike most ambient music, sound better played at a higher volume. As I have often said, this esoteric form of ambient is not for everyone, but if you want music that permeates your consciousness like the fragrance of disturbing flowers, I highly recommend this compilation album. 8/00 -- Review by Hannah M.G.Shapero

  • the year's first great ambient compilation
    author: Wine & Wire Magazine

    From Dark Duck Records comes the year's first great ambient compilation. It seems there is always at least one fantastic ambient compilation each year, usually from labels like Hypnos, Lektronik Soundscapes and Mirage. This year, Dark Duck Records (the home of Stephen Philips, Deep Chill Network, and Excelsior) beat them all to the punch. This is a fantastic collection of both dark and warm ambient, even crossing over into space music territory at times. (SEE WEB LINK ABOVE FOR FULL REVIEW)

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