The Air Texture series has been a great set of pure ambience, revealing the sheer scale of talent among the producers making electronic ambience without beats. It therefore comes as something of a surprise that the fifth volume of the series, returning after a year off, includes a number of tracks with kick drums. While this might alarm people who yearn for the haunting or blissful productions of the earlier compilations, it is good to note the overall mood does not change at all, right from the warm balm of the first track of the lush opener, Spacetime Continuum’s ‘Flux’. Once again the double album is packed with highlights, and to pick just a few would include the underlying tension of Kit N Claws’ ‘Darknslow’ and the twinkling textures of Claude Young’s ‘Fukui Morning’ from the first mix. The second begins with the soothing ‘9.14’ from Planet Love but soon takes a darker and more mysterious turn, with Autre’s ‘Seven Armed Drummer’ suspended in mid-air and the surreal Ilya Ziblat & Roberto Garreton track ‘The Voices’ staying long in the memory. Magic Mountain High’s ‘Smeared Textures’ also has some disorientating electronic sounds, but Donato Dozzy’s slow moving beauty ‘Valentinna’ puts all these doubts to rest. Once again a compilation that is essential material for ambient music connoisseurs.
Ben Hogwood
5 out of 5
