Ampbuzz
"This Is My Ampbuzz" CD
Strange
Attractors
Genres: drone, ambient, experimental electronics
Strange Attractors
PO Box 13007
Portland, OR 97213
Aug 12 - 25 2002 |
Every
single time I receive one of Strange Attractors' releases, I am
overjoyed. Putting out drone records predominantly, the label hasn't
released a dud yet. And this, their ninth record, is no exception.
While This is Ampbuzz may stand out from some of Strange
Attractors' other drone releases, simply because the guitar isn't used
as much on it, it is still ready to drone with the big boys, except in
a much more electronic-oriented way.
The first track, "Bubbles", starts with a high frequency
tone and then introduces guitar whispers so delicate that they made me
want to cry. "Soft currency", meanwhile, is a much more
experimental track, combining a short, endlessly-repeating sample with
a gradually metamorphosizing chime sound - until it all of the sudden
changes into a bubbly concoction of oddball sounds. And then there's
"Diving instructions" and "Welcome to the ocean
floor", both of which boast a dark, deep ambient background and a
whole cast of throbbing electronic sounds. Nice. And with four of the
six tracks' titles referring, either explicitly or implicitly, to
being underwater, you kind of see what Ampbuzz is getting at;
this whole soundscape feels as if it belongs thousands of feet down in
the depths of the ocean sea.
All in all, Ampbuzz's music is much more experimental than
that of fellow dronesters Surface of Eceon, Landing, and
Yume Bitsu. In fact, it seems to fit more in the company of Brian
Eno, Thomas Köner, and some of the Mille Plateaux roster
than any of Strange Attractors' other artists. However, fans of the
psychedelic drone scene, and even Ampbuzz mastermind Chris
Martin's main project, Kinski, are likely to find this a
pleasant, refreshing listen - albeit a less guitar-heavy one.
Meanwhile, Strange Attractors can mark down its ninth great
accomplishment.
89%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
43 min 13 sec; 6 tracks; distributed by the
label;
released 2002] |