An Autumn Hush – Stationary Travels
To be fair, autumn has not quite taken hold yet in Virginia, but crisp morning air and slanted light in the evenings tell us it is not far away. If you live in this part of the world then, perhaps like me, you are already craving the solace of hushed fall afternoons. You may also find the albums presented in this musical travelogue evoke a kindred sense of melancholy and quietude, each a delicately woven soundscape filled with rich detail and emotional sensitivity. Featuring Aiko Takahashi, Ian Hawgood, øjeRum, and Tapes and Topographies.
Aiko Takahashi – The Grass Harp
https://laaps.bandcamp.com/album/the-grass-harp
Aiko Takahashi is a musician whose work is both literally and metaphorically rooted in a sense of duality. The music for their new album The Grass Harp was recorded last year in a secluded spot near the River Isonzo set between Gorizia and Nova Gorica, cities that share a common history and culture but are separated by the border between Italy and Slovenia. Described as “a meditation on decay and silence”, the album is emblematic of Aiko’s sound which integrates generous use of effects pedals, tape decks, and tape loops with a melodic approach that yields something that deliberately blurs the borders between pure ambient and compositional music. In this case, a plaintive piano line serves as recurring theme and central thread amidst a warm and delicate soundscape.
The Grass Harp is available on CD and apricot colored vinyl LP from the Laaps imprint. The album was mastered by Taylor Deupree and features artwork by Thomas Raat.
Ian Hawgood – well, here we are
https://quietdetails.bandcamp.com/album/well-here-we-are
Well, here we are is a deeply personal work from Ian Hawgood, a stalwart of the ambient scene as an influential & prolific artist, mastering engineer, and label runner. In his poignantly candid words conveyed about the release, Hawgood says it is “an album that shouldn’t exist” considering his decision to completely step away from music while navigating a period of rehabilitation and counselling due to ongoing PTSD. It is a truly beautiful record imbued with kindness and empathy and fittingly decorated with contributions from kindred artists such as Sam Liu, Craig Tattersall, Alex Gold, and Brad Deschamps. Perhaps it is best summed up in Ian’s own words.
‘well, here we are’ is not an album of conclusion and recovery. It is that of arrival. We arrive at points in our life where the trauma of the past and fear of the future have less of a hold over us the more we invest in ourselves and those who love us. There’s great peace and joy in that, and that’s where ‘well, here we are’ is for me. It is where I am at right now. It is of light seeping through the porous darkness and focusing on that, of recognising the good and the bad equally but being present within that. It is of acceptance that life is hard but that we can find a way.
Well, here we are is available on limited edition CD and digital from Quiet Details. Note that the CD also has a special long-form continuous mix of the album.
øjeRum – Ensomheden Vi Deler
https://iikki.bandcamp.com/album/ensomheden-vi-deler
øjeRum is a creative project from Copenhagen based musician and collage artist Paw Grabowski. Ensomheden Vi Deler (“The Loneliness We Share”) is an IIKKI edition release that presents both sides of his work, essentially an audio-visual dialog with himself which is offered as an album of music and an 80-page hardcover art book. In the spirit of its seemingly paradoxical title, the work is described as both “an exploration of loneliness, closeness and distance” and “a meditation on the fragile architectures and hidden shapes of human connection.” It is his second release on the imprint following closely behind last year’s excellent Langt Fra Jorden (“Far From Earth”). Comparatively more subdued in nature, Ensomheden Vi Deler creates a truly out of time listening experience with its hushed, gossamer textures, ethereal melodies, and palpable sense of melancholy.
Ensomheden Vi Deler is available from IIKKI on limited CD and neon green vinyl editions which can be purchased separately or bundled with the hardcover art book. The album was mastered by Taylor Deupree.
Tapes and Topographies – Partial Holograms
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/partial-holograms
Tapes and Topographies is the moniker for US-based musician Todd Gautreau‘s ambient works. An artist who likes to change direction from project to project, Gautreau chose to shelve his guitar for Partial Holograms and work instead with other instruments such as piano, strings, and brass while leaning heavily into software processing to create a record that explores a mosaic of personal themes including “isolation, dreams, memory and loss” in a liminal space that resides in a realm between abstract and melodic expression. As is often the case with Tapes and Topographies, the song titles are vividly evocative and provide potent cues for the mood and narrative that unfolds in each track.
Partial Holograms is available on limited edition vinyl-effect CD and digital from Whitelabrecs. The album was mastered by James Edward Armstrong and features artwork by nkl.
