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Norman Bates
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Location: Paris, France 
- #1
- Posted: 09/05/2014 18:23
- Post subject: ALC #25: Wilderness of Mirrors
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Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Wilderness Of Mirrors by Lawrence English
Wilderness of Mirrors is the umptieth album by Lawrence English, Australian drone/ambient artist and the founder of Room40, a label some on other forums have told me was very interesting, in that same droney ambient line. Check it out.
http://room40.org/site/
Its his umptieth, and the first one I listen to, this allows me to skip the part where I tell you how great I have always known him to be when nobody else would. The same informers who advertised Room40 told me this LP was the continuation of a recent turn to darker, more saturated soundscapes.
As I have already explained someplace else, I never know why I like an ambient album and don't like another. I obviously am not knowledgeable enough to grasp how this is done, get a grip of the musician's intention, or explain why a 10 minute droney track will bore me when another won't.
I can venture something though: it's the fight. If there is no dialogue between discrepant elements, this dollar says it's not going to keep my interest. What I really liked in this record (particularly on the first track), was the (imagined by me?) contradiction between the evident presence of electricity and the menacing undertone a drone always seems to have for me, and the absolute lack of violence and brutality of the whole. But as I said, I am not at all clear with myself as to the hows and whys of liking this type of music. This is why I thought it would make for an interesting ALC item, I'm very willing to read what you might have to say on the subject. How do you like your drone? You might have guessed by now that basically this ALC article is a selfish affair. I need your help. Thanks in advance.
This record is not a masterpiece imo, but others someplace else seem to think so and rank it very high on their '14 list. I don't, but it keeps growing on me. You should try it, and hmu if you somehow can't.
Last edited by Norman Bates on 09/05/2014 18:27; edited 3 times in total
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Norman Bates
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Location: Paris, France
- #2
- Posted: 09/05/2014 18:24
- Post subject:
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Oh, and if a mod could edit the title: this is ALC #25, not 21. Sorry.
EDIT: I just realized I could do it myself. Sorry, tired.
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19loveless91
mag. druž. inf
- #3
- Posted: 09/10/2014 12:27
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I also never know why some ambient albums appeal to me and others don't. Liked this one though. I recommend.
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Skinny
birdman_handrub.gif
- #4
- Posted: 09/10/2014 15:37
- Post subject: Re: ALC #25: Wilderness of Mirrors
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| Norman Bates wrote: | | I never know why I like an ambient album and don't like another. I obviously am not knowledgeable enough to grasp how this is done, get a grip of the musician's intention, or explain why a 10 minute droney track will bore me when another won't. |
I am in the same boat completely here. I honestly couldn't tell you why certain ambient drones are ecstasy to my ears and others are just boring sound-soup.
But whatever, I thoroughly enjoyed this record. It kept the pace pretty high (for drone music), in terms of the constantly changing dynamic, moving fairly suddenly from something slight and calm, albeit with sinister vibes, into something dense and suffocating. Reminded me, at times (particularly during 'Wrapped in Skin'), of the end of Gavin Bryars' 'The Sinking of the Titanic', though that could just be because it's a record I've been listening to a lot recently. But it had that same sense of sadness, and I got the same image in my mind of a boat full of people being submerged. And then, of course, when that track faded into the first genuine silence of the record, the buzzsaw drones and rumbling low-end of 'Forgiving Noir' came rising up defiantly, like the kraken from the ruins. I think what I like most about this record is the way that it never really allows the listener to relax, there's always that ominous sense that something massive is just around the corner, waiting to jolt into life.
Anyway, enough of that pretentious bollocks. This album will certainly make my year chart come the next update. Cheers for the rec.
_________________
2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
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NowhereMan
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Location: Nowhereland 
- #5
- Posted: 09/10/2014 17:23
- Post subject:
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Will listen now, Norm.
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NowhereMan
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Location: Nowhereland
- #6
- Posted: 09/10/2014 18:10
- Post subject:
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It's decent. Not the greatest I've heard. 8/10
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