This is a fascinating pair of sets from bvdub and Andrew Thomas – mainly because you’d be hard pressed to hear a single drum in two hours’ worth of music, so ambient are the selections. The clue is in the title, of course – for this is all about ambient textures, slowly shifting units of sound that move naturally rather than being constricted by rhythm. In bvdub’s mix one of the standout tracks is his own ‘Tried So Hard’, which offers distant tremolo guitars and warm drifts of synthesized sound, like breaking waves. As the listener drifts through the selection of sounds it is difficult to resist a comparison with weather patterns, the Eno-like soundscapes exerting a strong pull. In Andrew Thomas’s mix there is more movement generated, with the twinkling shifts of Atlas Sound’s ‘Diorama Rendered’ blending into the twinkling lights of ‘Sand Partina’ by Oneohtrix Point Never, while Markus Guentner’s ‘Senses’ manages to spin out a single, held chord with a hint of a kick drum. Both these mixes go a step beyond relaxation, finding a strong sense of peace as they unfold, and managing to find a new world for the listener in the process.
5 out of 5
Reviewed Ben Hogwood
