Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: chill

  • Fragments

    Fragments

    Life’s made of flebile vivid Fragments;
    little bright chances given to change our mind,
    in order to learn acceptance about what can’t be changed,
    while new hurricanes upset our sight.”

    Whenever Lorenzo Bracaloni aka Fallen or Child of Fallen Creek releases a new album the poetry that always accompanies it is well worth reading and spending time to reflect upon in a quiet moment. From this point onward the delicate and carefully blended compositions take you on a sublime and peaceful journey.

    Fragments was released in September to wide acclaim with the album selling out, which in itself is a tribute to the man behind the captivating and most enjoyable nine track work which commences with the elegant and relaxing Amber Drops.

    Moving gently into the ambient groove is the reflective Life and Obstacles which drifts effortlessly into the somewhat haunting The Wind Whispers Her Name; a deeper and almost melancholic song.

    Changing the pace entirely is the shimmering Iridescent which moves between percussive sound interspersed with guitar riffs to liven an already lively piece which showcases the ever changing moods captured within the album.

    The catchy Late Owl’s Lament is sharp, almost confrontational which in a sea of what has been reflective sound, sharpens the atmosphere to offer reflection on just what the Owl is lamenting; perhaps a missed opportunity!

    As life progresses Unexpected Hurricanes change the direction so often set; sweeping synth sets a brooding atmosphere, interspersed with ethereal, almost haunting vocals. Once again an intriguing composition which leads into the final track on this most immersive collection.

    We Were, We Are, We Will Be, commences with an airy electronic loop before a series of bells breaks down the sound into smaller segments.  These are then joined with short, discordant notes softly inserted, before the layers of sound change once again to indicate the winds of change sweeping clean the canvas ready to begin again.

    Fragments is the perfect collection to simply enjoy and relax into at the end of a busy day.

  • Dreams Beyond Terra

    Dreams Beyond Terra

    Ambient, Chill, Electronica, call it what you will but Dreams Beyond Terra is music that is pure, complex, introverted and yet extroverted Electronic Dance Music – different, trancelike and totally captivating.

    A friend listening to the music described it as ‘music that’s not there, but is everywhere’ which could encapsulate the intent perfectly. But who is Eleon and why is this the first release from this talented musician, in more than forty years of creating and making such incredible music.

    Sometimes it simply needs to be the right time, the right place and the right opportunity to capture the mercurial marketplace with a sound that is different, sticks and fits into the ever-changing electronic music marketplace. Dreams Beyond Terra is such a collection!

    Eleon aka Michael Rogers grew up with a learning disability which saw him spending much of his time at home, turning to music as a companion that could take him to so very many places. Landing firmly into the electronic revolution of the 1980’s saw him learn to play the electronic keyboard, then move to a synthesiser in the ‘90’s. From there on, along with modern computer technology, he began to produce a sound that was specifically his own. Rogers established his all digital recording studio in 2008.

    As to be expected from a musician who has been widely challenged by life and influenced with a wide genre of musical styles his work is vibrant, funky and as would have been stated clearly in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, it has ‘groove’.

    Species Communicating and Terra Sanctuary have the additional element of co-creation from the talented David Helpling, a man who can create magic with a simple vocal sound and one who, when he combines his talent with that of Eleon, create a remarkable and intriguing sound.

    Each of the songs are distinctly different, full of life and enthusiasm and wrap around a sneaky beat that creates a warm, rich and diversified energy, adding many layers to the carefully crafted pieces.

    Otherworldly is one word used to describe this immensely enjoyable album. Lush, optimistic and created because it can be absolute fun, this is one work that will pave the way for more to come from this talented man and his remarkable and comprehensive talent.

  • The Cage

    The Cage

    Bob Holroyd’s music is, to put it simply, difficult to define. In many ways it has always been; created from many sources, inspirations and complexities. His new album, The Cage is equally as difficult to define. Dark, sombre, challenging, experimental and exploratory, his work needs to be absorbed rather than listened to, as it is also incredibly intricate.

    This latest work is drawn from a new focus in his life, that of ‘allowing things to be discovered’; allowing feelings, thoughts, positives, negatives, emotions, people and places to resonate, something he had over the years blocked out, thereby establishing barriers, or in his words creating a ‘cage’ which kept him safe. He discovered it had simply isolated him.

    After considerable therapy, he has now allowed himself to be free, to taste freedom and has created this twelve track album in tribute to ‘allowing everything in’.

    His musical style has been billed as ambient minimalist over the years, a style which has not changed, but has been refined to a far more sensitive and emotional level that will resonate with anyone who enjoys textures, levels within levels,  combined with a genteel mix of sound waves, patterns and colours within the music.

    Each of the tracks has been slowly developed by simply letting the feeling and inspiration flow without any predefined structure of thought or rehearsal, moving through the emotional plane to let the music happen as it would. This has allowed a certain freshness to overlay the various pieces that could be considered as a sound collage which is very apparent on Possibilities.

    Perhaps the words inside the album cover sum the entire recoding perfectly and fittingly, when as Holroyd says,

    ‘Freedom is a larger cage, a longer page, a wider stage. True freedom comes not from escape, but allowing everything in.’

    The Cage reflects a turning point in Holroyd’s life and his music which will be interesting to follow as the layers peel back, his journey is continued and his psyche is allowed freedom to wander at will, to paint a fresh and vibrant soundscape as only Holroyd can.

  • Chicago Chill 1

    Chicago Chill 1

    Chill; It’s that style of music that is there but not there, reminiscent of airport lounges, corporate offices, many an advertisement or the background music for TV shows. For more than 17 years Jewer and Mitran created such music, building up a huge library for a wide range of uses, until they decided the music was so good, it deserved to be released to the public.

    Joining forces with Bob Lizik they created the first of two albums to date in the Chicago Chill series, of which Chicago Chill 1 was released in May 2017, bringing this relaxing sound once again to the listening public, simply for enjoyment sake.

    This work is reminiscent of the 1970’s and ‘80’s when this was a new, refreshing style of music, created with the use of synthesizer which added unusual qualities to the sound, but overall it is simply a delightfully slick and almost sophisticated collection of innovative creations designed for relaxing and nothing more, nice, easy and comfortable, like a pair of favourite slippers.

    While it is largely created ‘synthetically’, there are differencing timbres in the pieces with some carrying a smooth, almost silky sound, others a chunkier beat and others simply teasing around the edges of the mind with a subtle elegance of style.

    Take a listen to this almost ‘retro’ style brought forward into world of fast beats, driving rhythms and electronic noise, and be surprisingly entertained, relaxed and pleased, as the sound is gentle on your ears, easy on your mind, and incredibly relaxing for an afternoon in with a good friend or a glass of red and book.