 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
fields of ashes This recent 2CDRs sampler features 8 bands from the ambient / noise corner. Offering long, moody tracks, they evoke, as the picture on the cover of the compilation, decaying empty spaces, urbans ruins and sad atmospheres. It starts with Narbenerde and a long and epic track made of noisy drones, and machine-like drones but stays rather calm. Turk Knifes Pope's track, on the other hand, is more aggressive and loud than what I've heard from this band in the past with, for examples, more noise being used. It's get really calm with the soft and flowing ambience of O-type. Then, Sound Source 21 closes the first CDR with a more industrial minded track that features a cold medical click as well as a lot of echoed deep sounds and noises. On the second CD, Lefthandeddecision starts with what is obviously the most grinding track of the sampler. Maybe not as ear blasting as "Instinct and Emotion" (and more rhythmic), this is still a very nice combination of hard and raw noises. Petit Mal follows, with quite a dark track full of distant drones, dubbed noises, samples and deep sounds. Vid6's "Last call, dunoon", is maybe the most melodic track of this release, with its soft melodies, as well as the strange background drumming. Finally, Arc Rev One offers a spacy, calm and sleep inducing ambient track that still contains some pretty strange slowed down vocals. "Fields of ashes" is a really, really good sampler for cold and slow sounds. The low level of noises implicated keeps it pretty accessible, and the artists have all the space they need to express in these long tracks. Since most of them are either newcomers or small acts, this is a very good surprise, and people into dark ambient should be sure to check this out. Nicolas, December 19, 2000 recycleyourears |