Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: soundscape

  • Beautiful Desolation

    Beautiful Desolation

    When tragedy strikes, we all turn to something tangible we love, enjoy and know will bring solace to a weeping heart. For Jim Ottaway it is his music, his expression and his beloved time spent creating, stepping out of everyday life to create a time-scape of sound that travels and takes with it, the voyager.

    On the death of much beloved friend and mentor Father Reg Mills in 2019, his world redefined, as it does with the endings and beginning of life. To this end, Beautiful Desolation portrays the intense sadness, the eventual acceptance and healing which only time has the ability to begin to mend.

    Two tracks make up the soundscape, raw, beautiful and full of deep expression. Although Jim Ottaway refers to this as dark and deep, it is far from that, although without a doubt it contains the very basis of all these emotions.

    The first section, Apocalyptic Signs, is spacey, intangible, clean, clear and simply asks to be accepted as it is, whereas the second part, Beautiful Desolation, begins with an almost ghostly summoning of the bells, reminding one of the ancient mariners and their superstitions; the deep sea mists, the eerie nature of the sea at dead calm, the ghostly stillness of the shroud like sheets as they hang lifeless, the timber creaking and groaning in the stillness of the mists.

    Created to define the journey of the soul to the other world, the otherworld of many things, of the leaving, the journey and eventual destination unknown to us all, this soundscape, as does life’s journey, contains many things and interestingly, could be considered as a work that redefines the ‘boundaries of electronica’; a style of music which could almost be classed as non-emotional in what can often considered as a clean, precise construction of sound.

    Beautiful Desolation is dark and infinitely intriguing without a doubt, and in so many ways is perhaps Ottaway at his finest. Pure, stripped back and without and predefined targets, the music or sound should you prefer, simply flows, allowing the emotions to be brought forth, examined and eventually replaced with a glimmer of acceptance, healing and light.

  • 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.

  • At Peace Beneath the Shade of My Father’s Tree

    At Peace Beneath the Shade of My Father’s Tree

    Cinematic, sweeping, all-encompassing and totally enjoyable Terry Lee Nichols takes life and all its ups and downs, transcribing his many experiences into a soundscape which has appeal, reflection, joy and a little quirkiness woven throughout.

    Although the music has the capacity of a movie score in its richness, each of the pieces stands alone, created from one segment or another of his past. As an introverted young boy Nichols discovered the joy that could be found in playing the piano. He also discovered another dimension of music; that of the design involved in the creation, the composition of a score, which led him to creating his first arrangements at the age of four years.

    As a prodigy he began composing and arranging for his high school marching band as well as the school drama group. He began to realise following in his families footsteps towards a more academic application of his talent, was not as appealing as entering the developing arena of enterprise software, where he could use his already undoubted talents to understand and work with complex systems of computer codes.

    Many years later and after many personal challenges Nichols rediscovered his first love, that of music and composition, many of which make up this wonderfully joyful collection. He waltzes through the many mediums and tempos encompassed within the 17 tracks with a richness of emotion, making each of the varied pieces an absolute pleasure to be enjoyed.

    The title track leads in with an offering of peaceful rest as time is taken to simply be and enjoy, whereas Timekeeper is rapid, almost staccato in its intent, created to ensure the pace quickens: hurry up, bustle, rush, but to what purpose!

    A train leaving the station with all the noise and bustle that once accompanied the older models, introduces Train to Dachau, which then segues into a slower, far more reflective mood that falls on the traveller once the journey has begun

    In Autumn  Nichols a has created the very essence of the changing of the seasons, the pace of life slowing ever so slowly, getting ready for the coming winter, leaves changing into the flamboyance of autumnal colours, animals and insects alike getting settled for the colder days to come.

    The finale to what has been in essence a wonderful concert performance is Requiescat, led in with verbal rendition introducing a sombre note about the issues which plague the modern day lifestyle, that of violence and the scant disregard for human life, then the stillness which falls after the violence has left, leaving nothing but silence all around!

    As a first offering from this talented man, At Peace Beneath the Shade of My Father’s Tree, leaves nothing to be desired and everything to be enjoyed.

  • The Recognition

    The Recognition

    Sheer, sublime, inspired use of harmonica, mixed with a little guitar and ambient sound, to create pure magic simply sums up the entire album; simple, easy and wonderful to listen to, can also be added to the list of descriptive words and emotions.

    Haunting, unique and incredibly appealing, only a master of his instrument and craft could have created such a wonderfully different and rich palate of sound, in a world where, to create a different or unique sound, is something that all too often becomes mundane.

    Inspired by being asked to contribute to the compilation album Christmas from the Heart project, where he recorded his song The Gift, Art Patience then went on to create The Recognition, which showcases his phenomenal talent.

    Coming from an R&B background he is well known as the man who can add rawness to his playing; playing which comes straight from the heart.

    In this latest release, and his first within the ambient field, it is almost as if he has simply sat down, picked up his harmonica and began to play. Along comes guitarist Darrin Mahoney, who joins him from time to time, appearing to establish what could almost be a jam session inclusive of two men immersed in their music, oblivious of all else around. Adding the mixing skills of John Herrera for the ambient undertones required, creates a mellowness which is needed to create the perfect balance to the various tracks, forging pure inspiration.

    Although there are nine noted and named tracks on the album, the music simply flows, one piece into another, to present a timeless soundscape; one which can be surrounded by, morphed into or wrapped around. Spirit of the Woods simply brings in the sounds of nature, the outdoors, into what is already an album permeated with nuances and textures of the most subtle.

    Scott Cossu considers Art Patience as ‘redefining the limitations of harmonica’. Once you have enjoyed this remarkably beautiful album, you will have to agree that this music has definitely been created to stretch the limitations and by doing so, offers inspiration, contemplation and relaxation, in a most unique manner.