Psychedelic_Mustache
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 17, 2005 15:42
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Artist: Seán Quinn
Title: Skylines
Released: February, 2005
Tracklist:
1.Skyline
2.Dead Air
3.Windscale
4.Yellow Magnetic
5.Recedes From Memory
6.Isolator
7.Imbrium
8.Geometric
9.I'm Here(Twice)
10.Loop Thereof
After just recently getting familiar with the psychonavigation label through Anne Garners "re-making the pearl" I felt I needed to listen to more of their stuff. This album "Skylines" by Seán Quinn was released back in February, but hasn't recieved alot of attention. This might be due to the fact that it has yet to be distributed worldwide - something that will be taken care off when it's re-released in february 2006 in a version that promises both bonustracks and remixes.
On this original version we are treated to ten tracks - all of them beautifully composed by this man who for me was totally unknown. I realize, however that I've been ignorant. It seems that Quinn was the only Irishman ever to be signed with the legendary ambient label E.G(Brian Eno, Robert Fripp and more). Lets take a trip through the streets of Dublin and see what we can find...
01: Skyline
The title of this track is ceirtanly appropriate. The gliding, shifting music gives you a floating feeling. The slow but steady brekbeats and the overall harmony of this track creates a short, but very plesant buzz. I wish it could be a bit longer and that some of the ideas here were built more upon but it's ceirtanly a good teaser to whats ahead.
02: Dead Air
"We appoligize for this temporary fault....". The mood shifts rapidly as we enter "dead air". Weird noises, voices and and beats creates a rather chaotic, but still harmonious experience. I cant help but smile when listening to the melodies here - reminds me a great deal of the feeling you have when you tumble out of a pub after one too many beers. Again, my only complaint is that I'd like it to be a little longer than it is.
03: Windscale
For me, this is where the album really begins, and from now on and out - this is a truly splended journey of sound. Windscale is an exremely slow, drifting track. Almost beatless it moves through the landscapes of infinite sadness. Agian - and I don't like repeating my self - this is a very short track. This time it doesn't matter that much, however, as it really works best if you think of it as an introduction to the rest of the album.
04: Yellow Magnetic
a low-key piano opens this track before some pretty hard breakbeats kick in and throws us in to a dark, intense and really cinematic experience. The track moves in quite a few different directions. At it's most laid back it would fit right in to the soundrack of twin peaks. At it's most frenetic, however this is actually quite danceable as we move through some drum'n bass. I simply love this track!
05: Recedes From Memory
Again a rather short track. Very ambient, completely beatless - this track gives me images of a postapocalyptic scenario. It's gloomy, almost desperate atmosphere fills it from beginning to end.
06:Isolator
As "Recedes From Memory" fades out, you see light in the end of the tunnel as the cow-bell-like rythm section of "Isolator" starts off. A bit more upbeat this, but still very sofa-friendly, this track is driven by a steady beat and long, dreamy synth-sweeps. Extremely hypnotic and very easy to get lost in. One of my absolute favourites on the album!
07: Imbrium
If someone had popped this track in and I didn't know any better - I'd guess it was made by Jean Michelle Jarre when he's at his most sinematic. This is grandiose, massive ambient - almost pure beatless floating. Very atmospheric, but with a distinct pattern of repeated melodies on top. Very nice!
08: Geometric
Now for another more upbeat track, perhaps the most "uplifting"(if you can say that about this kind of music) piece on the album. A deep sonar-like sound creates the recurring theme of the track while the beat-section move along in a spacey drum'n bass pace. After a while this track it moves into becomming a multi-layered melody-frenzy. Never boring, constantly moving, but never to quick and upbeat for the album
09: I'm Here (Twice)
This is another almost beatless ambient piece. Again there is a distict theme moving around throughout the track. The atmosphere here is very warm, very beautiful and extremely relaxing. Every now and then new instruments are brought in to the picture, but they never break the pure and simple balance of this track.
10: Loop Thereof
The album ends with another very downbeat, almost ambient track. Very cinematic indeed, and I was not very suprised to learn that this, together with the first track of this album "skyline" has featured on the soundtrack of a documentary("Identity" - About the life of Nelson Mandela). A very nice and calmway to finish off this beautiful album...
Final remarks:
This album has a few truly remarkable moments. It's shifting in terms of both mood, atmosphere and musical style, and yet there is consitence throughout the album. I find the last half of the album to be the best. That being said - I'd really like some of the tracks(especially in the beginning) to be a bit longer and to take the great ideas there even further. Perhaps this will happen when we get the remixes on the re-released version in february, something I'm really looking forward to!
Tomas(Psychedelic Mustache)
Get it here:
Psychonavigation: http://tinyurl.com/8rg33
Ear/Rational: http://tinyurl.com/9hyr3
to keep the kids quiet in the backseat: www.sonic-energy.net |
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