Phutureprimitive - Sub Conscious (Original TC Review)

Waveform Records: 2004

(2015 Update:
I get it. Really, I do. It's not as drastic a change as some made it out. The music on here, with all those rubbery time-signatures, it has kindred spirit with wobbly basslines and all that. Plus, it's not like Rain couldn't help himself, what with having roots in the Pacific Northwest, where the likes of Excision's Rottun Recordings have come to dominate the festival circuit Phutureprimitive toured about on. Maybe he heard plenty enough from those big stages all the younger bassheads were congregating at, where he could get a piece of that lucrative pie. Or maybe throw a few shockers in the face of die-hard psy dub hippies. Ain't nothing wrong with that. Still... dubstep? Really, dubstep!?

This review does a very poor job detailing just how unique sounding Sub Conscious is, especially since no one's repeated what's one here - difficult detailing music without other frames of reference, after all. That includes Rain himself, most of his latest offerings content recycling sounds found in every main stage dub/brostep act. We thought he'd return to this style some day, but seeing as how he's almost gone full-Skrillex now, we'll just have to settle for this one excellent album of a bygone era instead.)


IN BRIEF: Music of the future and past.

Well, it’s been a while since we dipped into these waters, eh? Shpongle’s swan song from two summers ago [2015 Edit: LOL, ‘swan song’] was the last time we reviewed anything in the warm, bubbly realms of psychedelic dub music, which is a shame given just how wonderfully diverse this music can be. Unfortunately, with so many styles of electronic music demanding our attention, fringy forms tend to get overlooked in the process.

However, I wouldn’t deem psy dub as fringe as, say, drone ambient. In fact, this form of chill music has settled into a nice little niche. Filling in for the lengthy noodly ambient productions the likes of The Orb and The Irresistible Force used to make, this is the music often heard at underground and outdoor parties attended by raving refugees. It doesn’t have the accessibility of MOR chill fodder, but nor is it so impenetrable that it’ll chase away the curious.

Hailing from America’s Northwest, the man simply known as Rain has been a part of this scene for over a decade, although kept a relatively low profile. Toiling away in his own studio, he eventually emerged with this album: Sub Conscious. Here, under the pseudonym Phutureprimitive, we find a fusion of downtempo vibes common in many underground scenes. Ethnic soundscapes, psychedelic synths, and dubby atmospherics are all melded, with neither attribute dominating the direction of a song.

While you won’t find any specific leads, Rain’s music doesn’t dawdle on go-nowhere tangents either. Rather, minor melodies and drum patterns flow from segment to segment within a track itself, maintaining an overlying theme throughout. And although the general tone of Sub Conscious tends to remain dark, tribal, and melancholic, it isn’t without its bright spots as well.

Probably the most intriguing aspect of Rain’s productions is his time-signatures. I’m no expert on this subject, but I can definitely tell when a song seems ‘off’ when compared to traditional 4/4 rhythms. And most of what you hear on Sub Conscious contains such moments where you’ll mutter to yourself, “Now that’s kind of odd.” It’s one of those nifty little subtle things that causes you to take notice of what’s actually going on in a song rather than just hang back waiting for a catchy melody or calming pad to emerge. And while these tracks aren’t super-dense so there’s a million-and-one things to discover with dutiful attention, there certainly are plenty of interesting bits to chew on during the course of a song’s playing time.

With the general information out of the way, how’s about some particulars then? That, I’m afraid, can be a bit tricky in this case.

As mentioned, the songs on this album aren’t conventional. Opener Rites Of Passage is as clear an indication of the sorts of arrangements you’ll mostly encounter. Groovy rhythms start out, sounding neither strictly organic nor synthetic, with subtle, similar effects floating in the background. Eventually, a simple, dark sweeping synth gives us our first clear melody, with additional ones bubbling in the background. Then, we move onto some tribal chants; then, a stuttery synth; then, a new stuttery synth, this time building in prominence; then, a different rhythmic section (including a different time-signature, if you’re keeping tabs on minute details like that); then, new chants; finally, orchestral swells. All the while, previous elements bubble up, maintaining a cohesive theme throughout. Skillfully, each new section feels like a proper transition from prior ones, and never sounds like self-indulgence or useless attention-grabbers. And none of these various sounds, synths and effects outshine the other, each of them finely tuned to harmonize on the same wavelength as the next.

Like this opener, many of these songs progress naturally rather than take unnecessary tangents, usually starting from a few basic ideas, then gradually building upon them to a logical conclusion. If this sounds too structured, trust me it does not come across this way, again thanks to Rain’s use of time-signatures. It lends itself an unpredictable atmosphere to the proceedings, and should the opening rhythms and minor melodies snare you, you’ll stick with it to see where the song will lead next.

Rites Of Passage throws most of Rain’s sonic ideas together; the rest of the tracks tend to stick to more singular themes while maintaining his eclectic production. Darkness and Elysium rely mostly on ethereal textures, including flowing female voices rather than tribal chants (all original, no sampling). Follow-up Ritual goes darker, conjuring up ancient tribal temple gatherings in Latin America. (Note: I could complain about some of these titles, as they are annoyingly cliché, but that’s not terribly important)

Adding some variety to these ethno-psy-dub proceedings is Spanish Fly, making use of flamenco guitars and percussion. Additionally, the song completely changes pace mid-way through, settling into a much slower rhythm than at the start. At first I thought it was just a breakdown of sorts, but was quite surprised to hear it to the end.

The rest of the album thematically carries on in similar fashion as the first half, with the eclecticism between tracks always fresh and never overcooked. At times the percussion gets more tribal (especially in Drifting) but will be naturally followed up with easy-going dubbed-out grooves (especially in Submerge). In one of the few instances of predictability on Sub Conscious, closer Dissolve is a straight ambient track, although still contains Rain’s intriguing style on it.

So, does all this talk of diverse arrangements and nifty sound collages and somber melodies make you want to rush out and buy this release? If no, I can guess why: you’re wondering where all the catchy hooks are.

Frankly, as with many forms of psy-dub, catchy bits aren’t the focus. Despite some really good minor melodies, there aren’t any that repeat long enough to get firmly stuck in your head, much less be humming later in the day. Add to the fact 4/4 rhythms are nonexistent and you have an album a casual listener is going to have trouble getting into. Rain’s production may be clear and concise, but it is still unconventional, especially in electronic music circles.

However, if what you desire in your music is uniqueness and deep engagement, then Sub Conscious should be on your Wantlist. Even if the idea of ‘ethno-psy-dub’ strikes you as bizarre, the music on this release will satisfy nonetheless.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2006. All rights reserved.

Various - Slumberland (Episode 2: Awake & Dreaming)

Waveform Records: 2000

It didn't seem Waveform Records had any intention of following up the first Slumberland. The kick-off series [Number] A.D aside, most of their compilations were one-and-done efforts, a simple showcase of a particular genre of music. Frosty got in on that trippy acid jazz-hop vibe, Earthjuice went for a traditional dub look, and Slumberland surely satisfied whatever audience they had for dreamy ambient noodling. Their snoozing CD must have did better business than expected though, for why else would they bring us Episode 2 nearly three years after the first? Maybe groovy folks truly do enjoy calm, droning synths, so long as its presented in a package that eschews New Age mystical bollocks.

On the other hand, perhaps Waveform believed there was more to explore with the Slumberland concept, hence the write-up for Episode 2: Awake & Dreaming. Instead of offering music capturing the essence of deep relaxation, this CD focuses on transitional moments between alertness and inertness. Not so much the lucid state of mind though, the tunes on offer here having more rhythm to them, mostly light tribal beats or pulsating synths. It’s still a very calm collection of music, but there’s something of an old, ancient mystery to it all, like music sent from all our forgotten ancestors who somehow had digital means of recording sounds. Whoof, does that ever sound pretentious.

I’m gonna’ allow it though, because Slumberland 2: The Reslumbering, features quite a few names well outside the borderlands of what most folks consider electronic music producers. Oh, they definitely still make use of synths and sequencers, but you’d never find these names in the traditional “Electronic & Dance” racks at ye’ olde record shop. For instance, ones Mychael Danna and Tim Clément appear on here, Canadian individuals who’ve been making ambient music since the ‘80s – in fact, their composition Sunrise West, a pulsing bit of latter-era Berlin School work, comes direct from an ’86 album Another Sun. And while Mr. Clément mostly worked in tandem with Mr. Danna, one of his few solo outings also features here in the form of Beautiful Lady, a piece with eerie bells and pipes playing as filtered dialog goes on about out-of-body experiences. Then there’s Richard Wahnfried’s epic eighteen minute long Druck, making use of acoustic guitars, tribal rhythms, and wave upon wave of synths and pads. Who does this guy think he is, Mike Oldfield? Heh, close: it’s actually a pseudonym for the legendary Klaus Schulze, putting this track’s release date firmly in 1981! Holy cow, did Waveform ever do some digging for this compilation.

That said, the label’s spelunking for ambient music outliers resulted in a few chintzy pieces too. Tracks from I-Sense and Eleven Shadows are rather rudimentary offerings, and I can’t decide whether Janjiva’s Four Dimensional Interaction is suitably minimalist ambient techno or just undercooked, especially compared to the sharper Born Basic from Foundland. The ‘nice’ does still outweighs the ‘meh’ on Slumberland 2 though, and is a worthy sequel to the first.

Various - Slumberland

Waveform Records: 1997

Ambient dub was definitely on the wane in the latter half of the ‘90s, most roads the genre could take thoroughly explored in Beyond and Waveform’s early years. And while producers could still make good tunes, stylistic expansion was necessary to stay relevant in an ever-changing musical landscape. For most, that meant getting into trip-hop or psy-dub, generally music that had some common, groove-based lineage with ambient dub. Waveform, on the other hand, went for the ambient audience, indulging in a brief run of deeply meditative, synth droney, occasionally New Agey compilations and albums. So, to remain relevant, the label sought an even more specialist crowd - makes total sense.

Taking their early first steps into uncharted and unchartable music is Slumberland, a compilation of eight tracks featuring ambient music for dreamy times, to lose yourself in as the melatonin overwhelms your brainpan. Yet it’s not all synths noodling about – okay, it mostly is, but there’s a few variations to take in here.

Georg Brunn’s Crater Lake is about as ambient as ambient gets, pure floating bliss with calm, soothing voice pads, never sounding like tepid New Age angel choirs. It’s also quite brief too, just over three minutes in length, practically a doodle where this form of music’s concerned. Might I also add that, for the longest time, it never occurred to me that the title was in reference to the actual Crater Lake – the spacey tone of this piece always had me conjuring thoughts of moon craters. If you were hoping for something lengthier though, Hemisphere’s Samadhi has a similar tone, reaching a breezy eight-and-a-half for your enjoyment.

Then there’s the stuff that owes some debt to prog-rock of the ‘70s. A Produce’s The Golden Needle makes use of pulsing pads and spaced-out guitar work, while Sky’s On The Shores Of The High Priestess is nearly fifteen minutes of wave upon wave of primitive synths washing over you. For the record, Sky’s apparently a group of seven members, and this track comes from the hopelessly obscure 1988 album Dreams on the utterly lost label Magic Music. Seriously, only one person at Lord Discogs lists it in their collection, yet somehow Waveform got the rights to use this track. To be fair though, Sky has had a number of songs on various New Age collections throughout the ‘90s, but I sure don’t see anyone rushing out to find lost ‘treasures’ like The Dream Age Collection or New Age Digital. Speaking of New Age, Om’s Starfire sounds as chintzy as New Age could get in the ‘80s. Ah well, they couldn’t all be winners here.

Surprisingly though, Slumberland has enough going for it that it’s just as enjoyable to take in with a proper listen as it is sleeping music. Far East meditation from Lucia Hwong, eerie Middle-East excursions with Sanjiva, and electro-beatnik musings from Witchcraft round out a solid entry in the Waveform canon. Maybe there’s something to all this noodling synth music after all.

ZerO One - ozOne

Waveform Records: 2007

I feel like Kevin Dooley's ZerO One project is one I should have far more material of. He's a Waveform Records regular, makes a brand of ambient techno-dub that has ties to The Higher Intelligence Agency's approach to the craft, and I even got a ZerO One t-shirt purchased during one of my hauls from the Waveform online shop. A t-shirt! I don’t even have a Banco de Gaia shirt. And yet, ozOne remains his only album that I have, plucked from a used shop no less. Soon, I must gather more CDs of this man's work, but there are just so many other musics I must have. So many more, not enough time, not enough time. Curse this limited lifespan. Like, how could anyone complain about being an immortal? Can you think of a better way of finally hearing all the music there is?

Anyhow, ozOne is the fourth album from Dooley’s binary alias, third for Waveform, and first in my collection. It’s also another one of those albums I’m kind of at a loss to say much about. It doesn’t help I haven’t heard anything else in the ZerO One discography, so points of comparison are useless. Are the slightly psy-dub leanings in many of these tracks (Nano, Affirmative, Lifeforce, and Glitch) a new wrinkle explored on this album, or have they always been a part of the ZerO One stylee? I’m almost certain the down-low acid-jazz funk of Flashback and OK are unique offerings from Dooley, tunes made on a lark of genre exploration, yet I’m not firm in that assumption either. And heck, this is all supposing you folks are familiar enough with HIA that you’d understand the inevitable multi-comparisons I’ll make (seriously, if you aren’t yet, get on that). Maybe early Biosphere’s an easier point of reference?

Anyhow-anyhow, here’s a few wicked-cool-awesome things about ozOne you should seek out if my useless rambling hasn’t already turned you away. Future (Autozone Mix) has a weirdly funky... mellotron hook? It’s something I’ve yet to ever hear in an acid-dub bleep-tronica cut, and is great, is what it is! If you’re more about cut-up sample-glitch though, maybe give Malfunction or Brainwave a run. Then there’s the world dub-beat stabs found in Dreams and OK again – man, there’s a fair bit of genre blending on ozOne now that I think about it. Rather surprising, that, considering how much the album comes off as a traditional ambient-bleep collection.

And as I continue thinking about that, why have I overlook ZerO One this much? For all the moaning and bemoaning I used to do over the lack of worthy successors to Bobby Bird’s output, I sure didn’t do much to actively look for any. And here was one (a ZerO One!), literally sitting on my shoulders this whole time. It’s a good reminder that, for as knowledgeable about electronic music as I’ve become over the years, there’s still plenty more to uncover. All I need is that immortality serum.

TUU - One Thousand Years (Original TC Review)

SDV Tonträger/Waveform Records: 1993/2001

(2014 Update:
Talk about redundant opening paragraphs. Yeah, it was important establishing what sort of borders we'd set for ourselves at TranceCritic, but as is abundantly clear at this blog, I care not a lick about staying within the lines. I suppose it makes calling this place 'Electronic Music Critic' disingenuous on my part, but it was the title I picked long ago, a logical evolution from the old website. Besides, despite my occasional dalliances into rock or other, I've kept things mostly on an electronic tip (yes, I'm including hip-hop in that now too).

Some additional information here that I neglected before. One Thousand Years was in fact TUU's first album, self-released on their own label before joining up with Beyond/Waveform. I always thought this came out shortly after All Our Ancestors. Lord Discogs led me astray! It makes sense though, the music here more minimalistic compared to their other material. Still really neat stuff though, if you're into atmospheric ambient as conceived by cultures from the before times, the long, long ago.)


IN BRIEF: The Ancients beckon.

For an electronic music review website, we here at TranceCritic sure tend to overreach the boundaries you’d expect of the genre. Not so much the producers who’ll take traditional instruments and fuse them with techno beats - that’s common. And not even old rock songs given the ol’ dance make-over. No, I’m talking about acts that are known for other music but may dabble in synths on a whim.

While it’s fine and dandy that we don’t restrict ourselves to a narrow field of music, it does cause a slight problem: how far can we push it before what we’re reviewing no longer fits typical electronic productions? If an experimental new wave album from Neil Young is allowed, then should all new wave and synthpop acts be given the same attention? And what about hip-hop? The Godfather has been invited, so shouldn’t the rest of that branch be allowed, especially since that music is technically more electronic than Primal Scream’s?

This is a big can of worms we flirt with on occasion but always within reason. We don’t just cover electronic music, but also the culture that comes with the package. The clubs, the outdoor parties, the chill rooms, the gear heads, the trainspotters, the DJs, the warehouses, and even the stadiums. As splintered as many EDM scenes became over the years, they still all more or less encompass the same ideals, which distinguishes it from other music scenes. Some intermixing does occur but this is primarily the reason genres are often separated the way they are in music stores.

This reads like a big disclaimer, doesn’t it. That’s because this album you’ve clicked to read a review on fits into the ‘not-quite-pure-electronic-music’ category. Might as well explain myself for once again straying from the beaten path, eh?

So, who exactly is TUU? This is a group comprised of Martin Franklin, Richard Clare and Mykl O’Dempsey, with other assorted guest contributors. During the ‘90s they made a few ambient albums together before disbanding to pursue other interests. Their sound was rather unique when compared to typical ambient offerings of the era, in that it often conjured up images of ancient exotic tribal clans gathered in a meditative circle, which probably wasn’t too far off in the audience they’d play for. The reason for their effectiveness lies in the instruments they use. Martin played the percussion, usually gentle beats on clay pots, small gongs, and other simple forms. Meanwhile, Richard’s use of soft woodwinds gave their songs warm melodies. And providing the atmosphere would be Mykl, using an assortment of synths.

As you can see, two-thirds of TUU doesn’t rely on anything electronic to produce their music, and Mykl’s use of synths are dressing for the tracks. In some instances, his contribution does lead, but Richard and Martin are usually the main focus. It begs the question then just how much of an electronic album One Thousand Years is, and if it should even be covered. Oh, foolish you be should you think such things. Yes, TUU do sound more organic than electronic, but this is still ambient music in the truest sense. Although easily playable in any environment, and even somewhat co-opted by New Age folks, ambient has largely remained within the domain of the electronic faithful.

I suppose you are wondering if I’ll ever get around to the particulars of One Thousand Years. That, I’m afraid, is tricky. This is ambient, after all, and detailing tracks is rather futile in that the music doesn’t follow any conventional form. TUU enjoy feeling their way through their songs, often times dwelling on the long vibration of a gong beat or a drawn out flute note while an eerie or calming synth smoothly slides in the background. Generally, a song’s elements will come into focus early on, with the trio improvising with each other for the course; a tribal rhythm or chant may crop up to add a little variety but not often.

As for their tone, TUU tend to remain melancholy, even at times mournful. I mentioned earlier at how their music can make one think of ancient tribes, but the trio also displays a touch of lament over our loss of the simple innocence that came with those cultures. A few tracks contain some cheerier moments - the spritely flutes in Pan America or the glowing synths in High Places, for instance - but the general feel is sorrowful and reflective. Like most ambient, the music on One Thousand Years works perfectly fine playing in the background. But should you sit down, ignore all that is around you, and just listen to what’s coming from your speakers, TUU’s work takes on a meditative quality where you’ll find yourself becoming lost within your own thoughts.

Although One Thousand Years is technically over a decade old (Waveform re-issued the album for American distribution - apparently the original European version is quite rare at this point) it hardly shows its age. Of course, this is partly for the fact TUU’s sound already has an ancient feel to it, but the production quality is top-notch as well, with each member’s contribution sounding clear and concise with plenty of room to breathe. While I wouldn’t consider this an essential purchase for fans of this sort of music, if you like your ambient quiet, contemplative, and tribal, then One Thousand Years is worth your attention.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2007. © All rights reserved

Various - One. A.D. (Volume One Ambient Dub)

Waveform Records: 1994

One A.D. took what I knew about downtempo music (one year knowledge!) and utterly shattered it. On the musical front, Enigma and Deep Forest suddenly sounded corny and commercial. As starting points for further ambient exploration, The Orb and Brian Eno came off obvious and safe. I mean, who were all these guys on this compilation? The Higher Intelligence Agency? Banco de Gaia? Sandoz? I'd never seen those names on “Must Have Ambient” lists, giving One A.D. a mysterious allure most other chill-out collections of the time couldn't compete with. The giants of the genre could wait - I wanted to hear what the less-heralded offered in this exciting new realm of underground ambient house and techno.

I’ve gone on and on and on about Waveform Records’ beginnings, but in case you’re new to this blog (hi, enjoy your stay!), here’s the quick lowdown. Birmingham label Beyond Records kicked off a nifty new sound called ambient dub, and ran a critically hailed compilation series promoting the stuff. Waveform Records opened up shop in America and served as their outlet for a short while. As Beyond had already released three Ambient Dub collections by that point, Waveform had some choice material to recycle for their launch. What they did instead was more interesting.

For sure there were familiar names between both labels: HIA, Banco, A Positive Life, Original Rockers (Rockers Hi-Fi). Somehow though, Waveform convinced these acts to provide fresh material for One A.D., a sweet deal if you already had the Beyond discs. Thus Toby Marks made new mixes of Desert Wind and Shanti (the latter being a far superior version compared to its original incarnation), A.P.L. sends The Calling into a lengthy, floaty Ambient Mix, Original Rockers lend a production hand to kindred dub spirits Templeroy on Dubometer, and HIA made an exclusive track for Waveform in Harmony Angel.

Along with a couple repeats (Original Rockers’ Mecca Of Space, G.O.L.’s Soma Holiday, the original version of The Calling ...yeah, track appears twice on One A.D., but as the original’s quite bangin’ for a supposed ‘chill’ tune, the contrast is welcome), Waveform got in a couple names Beyond never did: Sandoz and Pentatonik. Considering the scarcity of Sandoz’ debut, its remarkable Waveform secured a license for Beam. Even rarer is Pentatonik’s Devotion, first appearing buried as the CD-only last track of his debut Autonomous EP. As a bit of dubby ambient techno though, it’s a good fit.

For some reason, One A.D. was ‘reformulated’ at the turn of the century, jettisoning Shanti and HIA’s Spectral in favour of tunes from Ras Command and Urchin. Both were new artists to Waveform, so I’m assuming it was done as promotion - can’t let Bird and Marks hog the six year old track list. While it nerfs the ‘vintage early ‘90s sound’ of the CD a little, One A.D. remains a great collection of ambient dub of that era. Its well-worth your coinage if you’ve even the smallest hankering for the stuff.

Omnimotion - Omnimotion

Waveform Records: 2002

The album that got me checking out Waveform Records again, for what that’s worth. It'd been a long absence by yours truly though, figuring the label had faded off forever. Then I saw Omnimotion sitting on the shelf, recognizing the distinctive Waveform logo on the jewel case spine. I had no idea who Omnimotion was, but the cover was intriguing, a widescreen picture of some long abandoned railway, buried beneath the dusty wastelands of a future apocalypse. Why yes I had been reading Stephen King's Dark Tower series at the time. Is it worth reading past the third book?

Anyhow, to say this album blew my mind is... not accurate, now that I think about it. There aren’t any big melodic moments or instantly earwormy hooks, few fresh synth sounds or clever sampling techniques; yet Omnimotion remains among one of the most captivating LPs I’ve ever listened to. It’s why I dread reviewing it, even skipping it when it popped up for one of my TranceCritic Random Reviews long ago - had no faith in my writing ability to justify my praises, you see. Hell, I still don’t know how to write about it, Omnimotion defying many genre conventions you'd expect of downtempo or chill-out music. It's got touches of dub, world beat, ambient, and smatterings of Omnimotion's (one Stephan Lundaahl) classically trained background thrown in for good measure, that comes off both totally familiar and utterly unique. What's remarkable about all this is how subdued the atmosphere is, like a meditative calm surrounds the generally sparse and desolate soundscapes our fine Swedish producer's created.

The best I can describe this album is by the feelings it imparts. Imagine your absolute worst Sketchy Sunday morning. You know the sort. The night out before (either Friday or Saturday) had started fine and fun, but something set you off on a bleak mood, and by the time you got home, you were feeling mighty low. It's not depression, but you can't quite escape this fog of being. When you wake up (and you can never go back to sleep), everything seems faded and grey. Yet, despite all this, a sense of peace permeates your soul, the gentle music of life easing you out of melancholy. It's not much to hear – quiet raindrops outside your window, mild rustle of a breeze through leaves, a whisper of a neighbour's wind chimes, the chant of a wise ancient culture, recollection of a nurturing mother's lullaby – but it's there, and enough to feel at peace with yourself. Existing isn’t so terrible after all.

Yeah, sorry about this ‘review’. I know its annoying reading interpretations of music when all you’re after is facts, opinions, and critiques. Like I said, I’ve got nothing, pathetically failing you in this endeavour, my friends. You’ll have to hear Omnimotion for yourself and form your own thoughts on the music. Maybe you’ll come to the same conclusions as I have, left in speechless tranquility.

Open Canvas - Nomadic Impressions

Groove Unlimited/Waveform Records: 1997/1998

I bang on Waveform Records quite a bit, but truth be told, there was a period I'd all but given up on the label. Something about their late '90s output never clicked with me, which was grade-A nimrodery on my part since I was only going by cover art. One should never judge a body of music by its CD design, yet with the tacky CGI of Ancient Alien (based on a video game, no less) and silliness of Earthjuice (even the name was a head-scratcher), you'd forgive me for thinking Waveform was slipping. Not helping matters was this particular album from Open Canvas, looking like the sort of New Age pap you'd find in stores surrounded by chakra crystal stones, or whatever. Hell, I couldn't even tell whether Open Canvas was the name of the artist or the album – maybe both, for all I knew. I became a fan of Waveform because they opened my ears to a world of chill-out of more substance than Deep Forest and Enya, not because they offered more of the same.

Man, could I be an entitled brat about my music listening habits back then. What I didn’t realize at the time was Waveform was in the process of branching out from its early ambient techno and dub sound cribbed from Beyond, a plan that included dipping their toes into earthly, meditative ambient music. Yeah, yeah, that sounds dangerously close to New Age, but again, I should have had more faith in Waveform to not cross that divide. While I’ve yet to hear every album they’ve put out in this vein, what I have heard always retains a degree of sophistication often lacking in run-of-the-mill New Age, music that invokes captivating imagery with its soothing calm.

Tuu was the first of these acts to find a re-distribution deal with Waveform. Another early name was Gregory Kyryluk, who’s released several ambient albums as Alpha Wave Movement. Less frequently, he’s released music as Open Canvas, where he indulges in Middle Eastern harmonies and vistas. I guess that was enough similarity to some of the world-beat leaning acts Waveform had already put out for the label to give a re-distribution deal for Mr. Kyryluk’s first album under this alias.

I can’t say I was convinced of the Open Canvas stylee after the first few tracks here. It’s not that they’re cliché or devoid of musical substance – I simply didn’t hear anything terribly unique in Mr. Kyryluk’s song craft. It’s rather like hearing the moody score to a low budget TV series, but without any visual frame of reference.

Yet somehow, as Nomadic Impressions plays through, I find myself caught up in his sparse, desert vistas. I’m no longer sitting in a chair watching an Arabian caravan or desert marketplace - I’m actually in that setting! Well damn, that’s all I was hoping for at the start of this venture. Why couldn’t I have just let myself be swept in to start with? Oh, right, that cover...

Sounds From The Ground - Luminal

Waveform Records: 2004

After jumping around labels for their first decade as Sounds From The Ground, Jones and Woolfson finally settled on Waveform to handle most of their distribution upon releasing Luminal. It also started off a sort-of trilogy on their part, exploring all that one can explore within the realm of ambient dub. I've already covered two here, Brightwhitelight and High Rising. And now we've come to the end, at the beginning. Huh, who'd have thought I'd do this in reverse. In a nutshell, the duo was a bit all over the place for their first few releases, which likely explains their label jumping too. More recently, they've explored darker downtempo, glitch and drone, but I'll get to that's for reviews much later on. Figures in the middle of this career they’d settle into a comfortable rhythm.

As Luminal was the first in this trilogy, it doesn't quite reach the highs of High Rising. For what it's worth, though, I find this one more interesting than Brightwhitelight. There's still some of the duo's acid jazz background cropping up (they'd released another album but two years prior on Ninja Tune sub-label Nu-Tone), so it’s not all ambient dub all the time. Heck, opener Stampede wouldn’t sound out of place on a Thievery Corporation album, sans occasional galloping horse samples. In fact, if you’re at all familiar with Thiev-Corp’s first album, Sounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi (and shame on you if you’re not), you’ll find yourself in familiar territory with the first couple tracks off Luminal.

After that though, it’s proper dub t’ings. Whether with cascading synth washes in Razz and Poems, smoky reggae roots in Tumbledown and Ten Tons Of Dope, funky upbeat numbers like Burning Bright and London Fields (which includes a lengthy intro of ambient pad bliss), or a soulful jam with Move On, the thick bass and spacious reverb is in full effect. Yep, Luminal definitely sounds good for a mid-‘00s Sounds From The Ground album. Yessir, it does. So... um, how’s things with you?

Look, there’s little more to say on this one. Everything I can say about how this album sounds, I’ve covered in the other two reviews I mentioned above. I’ve plumb run out of things now, and I fear it’s selling Luminal short. Hell, I’m selling ambient dub as a viable genre short, aren’t I? Guess it can’t be helped. Like so many branches in music, sometimes a genre will have stronger connection to a listener than others and, for whatever reason, ambient dub hits that sweet spot for yours truly, despite the simplistic nature much of its produced in. For others, it might be minimal deep-tech, others still dub techno or noodly drone. I can vibe on some of those too, yet more often than not, this is my go-to sound, nicely presented from the ground.

I do give Luminal a recommendation if you’re even a casual fan of blissy downtempo vibes, but it ain’t a big deal if you pass on it either.

Sounds From The Ground - Kin

Waveform Records: 1995/1996

What the Hell? I know the first track, Gather. Wasn’t it on a Coldcut mix CD? Yeah, it was, Tone Tales From Tomorrow Too. But I don't recall seeing Sounds From The Ground in the tracklist. Don't tell me this was sampled from it. It's pretty damn close, but kinda different too. I'm confused. Help me, oh Lord Discogs! *brief moment later*. Ah, the group that initially made Gather, Path, was a project by Elliot Morgan Jones and Alan Bleay. Guess Mr. Jones took it for use when he and Nick Woolfson started their Sounds From The Ground work. And there are quite a few prior projects between both their discographies too. Did they recycle other material for their debut Ground Sounds album, Kin? It would explain the disparate tone running through this CD.

I'm not sure what prompted the duo to initially hook up, but their first production, Triangle, must have convinced them to keep making music together forever after. I can hear why, as the tune's a wonderful blend of early '90s ambient techno and dub, definitely a standout from a time when fans were spoiled for choice of this sound. Beyond snapped it up for their fourth and last volume in the Ambient Dub series, and naturally Waveform did the same, also offering them Stateside distribution of Kin.

Getting back to that ‘disparity’ I mentioned at first, folks coming to Kin expecting more Triangles would definitely be thrown for a loop by the opener Gather - on an acidy trip-hop tip, it’s small wonder Coldcut used the original version for a mix. Follow-up Drawn To A Woman is also in this vein, though sounding closer to acid jazz in this case. But yes, ambient dub be where those Sounds From The Ground come from, and the middle portion of Kin indulges in the genre a fair bit. Some of it’s fine – I can’t resist the pure dub funk of Loaf - but others are rather rambly, never going much of anywhere, seemingly content to remain wallpaper.

The last two cuts stand out as oddities as much as the first two, giving Kin a curious consistency, but not one that’ll have you reaching for a full playthrough. Where The Wild Things Were borrows elements from Gather, then throws it into a standard world beat jam. Banco de Gaia it ain’t. And finishing things off is... psy dub? That’s unexpected, and Seven Sisters is okay as a mid-‘90s example of the sound, but Simon Posford and his ilk have spoiled us with fresher takes on the genre since.

So Kin is a mixed bag, all things considered. Triangle is a great track, but it’s been whored to tons of compilations over the years - getting this album solely for it isn’t worth it. Jones and Woolfson were still discovering their sound here, which is interesting for those intrigued by their discography. It’s not an essential purchase though, most of the music on display following tropes rather than defining them.

Sounds From The Ground - High Rising

Waveform Records: 2006

Now this one, this is where one should check out Sounds From The Ground first. I can’t go so far as to say it’s the London duo’s best album, but of their Waveform releases, it’s definitely one of their most consistent LPs from front-to-back. With a title like High Rising, you might expect soaring sonics and uplifting melodies, but this is an incredibly subdued CD, executing ambient dub in ways that sounds boundless despite not venturing stylistically far. I guess Jones and Woolfson had finally got their sound… down to the ground? Ah heh… um, yeah, no.

I should make something clear right off the bat: if you've never had an ear for ambient dub, High Rising isn't likely to change your mind on the genre. Frankly, I'm unsure what sort of album would. Like so many dub variants of music, it's the sort of sound you're either into, faults and all, or figure just a bunch of mindless, middling musical-fluff only spliff heads could vibe on. This is a good album for those who enjoy the music, for sure, but if you're in need of something easier to get acquainted with, maybe start from the source in those classic Beyond Ambient Dub compilations.

Back to Sounds From The Ground, they'd been in the game for a good decade, and though occasionally exploring other forms of downtempo and chill, their bread and butter remained ambient dub. So if fans were to be treated to a full album of them doing what they did-done best, it must have been oh-so sweet catnip. Like if Oliver Lieb were to make a trance album again. Or Markus Schulz playing McProg again. Or Deltron making any music again (ooh, it’s finally here!).

Even within its relatively narrow confines, High Rising does offer some diversity of style for the discerning ambient dub head. There's the slight touch of bleepy techno on tracks like Rotorblade and Slate Grey. Viper Style has dashes of world beat, while Gaudi shows up in Palmprint for a proper reggae dub jam. As the cover art might hint at, some city-cool trip-hop action crops up in Beautiful Feeling and Blink. Finally, showing they were also clued into the growing popularity of psy dub, final tracks Speedbumps and Allsorts sound like they’d fit snuggly on an Ultimae collection.

In some ways, that the follow-up of Brightwhitelight coming off mediocre isn’t so surprising anymore. How could Jones and Woolfson top High Rising when everything on here is superbly crafted while staying true to just the essentials? (yeah yeah, I’m probably overhyping it) Small wonder they released an ‘odds-n-sods’ collection after that one, then started properly exploring different roads of downtempo with their next few albums. Those are reviews for much later though. Meanwhile, if you’ve just a passing curiosity about Sounds From The Ground, High Rising’s definitely the one to scope out first. Unless, of course, you can afford to splurge on the whole lot.

Various - Four A.D.

Waveform Records: 2003

Dammit, my alphabetical stipulation strikes again. Instead of delving into Waveform's A.D. (Ambient Dub) series in any sort of practical order, here we are dealing with the fourth (and likely last) edition first. And it's not like this gives me an opportunity to get all the history out of the way, saving me valuable self-imposed word count for the earlier volumes later - the next one's all the way down in the 'O's. It's taken me nearly two years to make the progress I have already. By the time we hit One A.D. (if ever), this review'll be long forgotten.

Or maybe not, but to be honest, Four A.D. didn't garner the same sort of buzz as its predecessors, for reasons that are both obvious and not as much. A.D.s One through Three had the benefit of being rather unique when they came out, the idea of ‘chill-out’ compilations for the clubbing generation still in its infancy. Heck, the Ambient Dub series from Beyond is often credited as kicking off the whole enterprise way back in ’92, and Waveform essentially served as their Stateside distributor for those releases. Taking things a step further, however, Waveform snagged a few exclusives of their own, setting themselves apart from their UK brothers while memorably launching their label.

So that Waveform would see fit to make an ‘anniversary’ fourth edition’s fair play; unfortunately, the dubby downtempo market had long since been flooded with options when Four A.D. came out, so standing out from the glut would take some doing. Which this does not, sadly.

Check that: this CD will get your attention, though in a way you’re not expecting. First, that Jake Stephenson guy’s on here, twice under two more aliases (of course). Okay, so only I really noticed that, but only because I couldn’t escape the chap on those Goa Trance 4CD packs. Long-time listeners of ambient dub, however, will be surprised by the inclusion of two cuts from the original Beyond series, G.O.L.’s Angelica In Delirium (think early Enigma in dub) and Rockers Hi-Fi’s Push Push, a remake of Underwater World Of Jah Custeau which they did as Original Rockers. Again, a nice nod to A.D.’s source, but considering how up-to-date the rest of Four A.D. is, their inclusion’s rather odd.

How up to date are we talking? Following right after G.O.L.’s ’92 cut is Asura’s XP Continuum. Yes, that Asura (if there’s another, Charles Farewell may be interested to know). If that’s not enough of a coincidence to Ultimae, Mystical Sun’s Blue Magnetic Ocean also appears here, which first saw compilation duty on Fahrenheit Project, Part 3 the year prior.

And I get it, Waveform linking a pioneering chill label of the past to one of the leaders of the present. In doing so though, Waveform sold themselves short, Four A.D. almost coming off gimmicky rather than standing tall and unique like the earlier A.D.s did. Pretty much only a completist’s option, this. *cough*

Loop Guru - Duniya (The Intrinsic Passion Of Mysterious Joy)

Waveform Records: 1995

Well of course I’m gonna buy more than just one act’s collection of music from Waveform this past week - it’s not called ‘splurging’ for nothing. Loop Guru’s another in a long list of acts I mean to gather more of, but never get around to doing so. Their relationship with Waveform isn’t as extensive as others, however, this here Duniya album their only offering. It’s also a re-release of the album of the same name that came out a year prior on Nation Records, a tidbit of info not so surprising since most of Waveform’s early artist albums were primarily Stateside re-releases.

Also not so surprising – at least where the ‘90s are concerned – is how this version of Duniya is quite different from the original. Whether due to licensing issues, copyright claims, or oddball label marketing, European and American copies of albums seldom matched each other, and it seems Loop Guru were no less a victim (benefactor?) of this business. Tunes Hymn and Senseless are gone, though we get a new cut, Shrine Of Sringar, in their place. Also, aside from the final run of three tracks, everything’s been re-arranged. Whether this makes for stronger album flow, I haven’t a clue, since I’ve never heard the Nation Records version of Duniya.

But to be fair, this is the first time I’ve heard the Waveform one too, so I've no basis of comparison. That said, Duniya sure reminds me of the Guru's follow-up album Amrita. Since they came out within a year of each other, some similarities would be inevitable, but this is almost down to a t', in song arrangements and track sequencing (at least the Waveform version).

This being the earlier album though, Duniya's rougher around the edges. The whole endless world-beat loop production is if full effect, but many of the beats used sound directly lifted from early '90s UK acid house, unfortunately rather dated for a '94/'95 collection of ethno-fusion tuneage. I know Loop Guru's whole shtick in those days was to invoke a tribal, meditative trance with all the repetition, but it’s difficult getting into the chakra flow with beats reminding me of EMF instead. Whatever. It's only a problem for the first few tracks anyway, after which the songcraft does get better (or sucks you in despite itself), so I guess Waveform were smart in getting the duff cuts out of the way early.

Another similarity between the two is the inclusion of an extended dub jam at the end (did Loop Guru do this for every album?). On here, it lasts whopping twenty-one-plus minutes, putting your patience for such music to its ultimate test. Geez, even Bill Laswell isn’t that indulgent. No wonder Part 4 isn’t on the original Third Chamber CD – there's no damned room for it! Tune's fine for what it is though, as is the rest of Duniya. Some of the world-beat attributes will definitely come off dated, but that’s never stopped folks from enjoying Deep Forest’s early work either.

Sounds From The Ground - Brightwhitelight

Waveform Records: 2008

I’ve been buying music from Waveform Records since the label’s earliest years, but not everything they’ve ever put out – such is life when you’re younger and without ample income or ability for online shopping. These days, however, it’s no big to splurge, and while taking a look at their latest offerings, I came to a stunning conclusion: I’ve never picked up anything by Sounds From The Ground. The London duo’s been a core act of Waveform since its earliest years, having released over half-a-dozen albums through the label along with frequent compilation duty. Why have I ignored them for so long? That’d be like buying from Ultimae Records, but bypassing everything Solar Fields related. Damn, time to rectify that oversight. I should pick up a couple- no, wait, I can afford all the albums now! Well, the ones on Waveform anyway (holy cow, have they released a lot of music).

So I'm properly all caught up on Sounds From The Ground, but due to my alphabetical restrictions, ya'll only get to read about a portion of my listening labour for now. And, unlike a proper 'chronological' retrospective, we're starting way up in the currentsies, their 2008 (and seventh) album Brightwhitelight. Huh, with a title like that, maybe it's a nod to the Moontribe parties.

Oh wait, I should explain these GroundSound guys. Comprised of Elliot Jones and Nick Woolfson, they've essentially continued the ambient dub banner seminal label Beyond pioneered, so it makes sense they'd find a home on Waveform for Stateside distribution. By the time this album came out, the duo were primarily releasing exclusive material through Waveform, which given the global reach labels could achieve in the '00s, makes good sense, keeping one's discography tidy. I guess.

Not that they haven’t done other music. Just last year they released a mostly ambient LP on their own imprint called Ready Steady Slow. Going through their Waveform output, however, I’ve noticed they haven’t changed their sound much or explored other genres beyond typical dubby downtempo and chill. Brightwhitelight’s no exception, playing about as straight your ambient dub as you’re likely to find. It’s certainly well produced and pleasing to the ears, with occasional variations (psy, lounge, etc.) keeping things from getting repetitive. It’s just… there’s nothing on this album that I haven’t heard before executed with similar competence, either from similar artists or Sounds From The Ground on previous albums. I admit I’m not giving Brightwhitelight much of an opportunity to warm itself to me, but stellar albums will always stand out no matter how many others you’re plowing through, and this one unfortunately passed by my ears with little fanfare compared to the rest of the batch I picked up.

Not the best way to warm you up to this duo, I know. Any group with a large discography has at least a couple middling albums, and this blog’s silly stipulation simply brought up one such from Sounds From The Ground’s first. Better luck on the next one, then.

Various - Frosty

Waveform Records: 1996

For many of my teenage years, I hadn't a clue what acid jazz exactly was, nor was I alone in my befuddlement. None of my peers knew either, though not much of surprise as I was the only chap among the 'Rupert Ravers' that even had much of an inclining towards the downtempo side of electronic music – at least enough to dig beyond the obvious names. I'd heard a little acid jazz before, but without knowing that's what it was, much less interested in exploring further. Just the name itself seemed so esoteric, a form of music that only old, mature ravers could get into. I'll grant that's partially true, but minor generational gaps didn't stop me from checking out old, respected ambient artists.

So when I saw a promotional blurb for a new Waveform compilation called Frosty, promising such trendy buzz words as 'acid jazz' and 'shadow jazz?' (yes, they had a question mark), I knew I'd get a crash course in the sound whether I liked it or not. The label was the first independent one I put blind devotion into, picking up all and everything I could, but for an imprint primarily peddling ambient dub and world beats, this was something different. Though I had faith in their musical output, I wasn't sure I was prepared for such a change of direction.

Truth is, acid jazz is a ridiculously broad style of music, running the gamut of brisk, uptempo dance-fusion work to, well, this compilation. This is about as chilled out the genre can get without becoming something else entirely, and I can see why some of the PR folks back then wondered if they could get away with calling it 'shadow jazz'. It has that Ninja Tune-like vibe going for it, with beats and melodies quite laid back, at times even dipping toes into dub and trip-hop’s pool. The cover may have an ice-encrusted buffalo, but the music paints more of a relaxing late-afternoon summer lounging on a patio with a spliff and lemonade.

A couple of prominent names appear with Howie B and A Man Called Adam, but the real standouts come from relative unknowns, supplied from the short-lived UK label 2 Kool. James Bong and The Thirteenth Sign provide tunes more on a ‘balearic trip-hop’ bent (yes, I know that’s daft), whereas Mr. Electric Triangle, Hunch, and Jaziac Sunflowers (that Moog!) lean more proper acid jazz. Round things out with quirky contributions from Beach Flea (alias of Man Called Adam; twelve minutes of downbeat haze) and The Egg (no, not The Egg; different group), and all arranged with a strong flow, and you have another winner in Waveform’s catalogue.

Back in the day, I could tell this was a strong compilation, yet I hadn’t a clue what to make of it. Thrown on at a house party or shared on headphones, none of my peers could either. We all agreed, however, it was class, worth the repeated plays. Perhaps that was all we needed.

The Higher Intelligence Agency - Freefloater

Waveform Records: 1995/1996

After a recent raid of post-millennium ambient techno, I discovered a significant pile of producers making bleepy, dubby variants of the sound for years now. Of course, none quite capture the quirky charm of The Higher Intelligence Agency, but all my forlorn musings of never hearing it again comes off silly now. Dammit, why’d it have to be so obscure? Or maybe it wasn’t, and I was just a lazy sod. Hey, it’s not my fault I was spoiled for ease-of-access to this stuff during the mid-‘90s.

It also doesn’t escape the fact the world would have been a better place had The HIA made more than two albums (true, there were several collaborations after, but I’m talking pure, unfiltered Bobby Bird). On Freefloater, he’d refined his brand of ambient techno to such a degree, the possibilities of where he could go next were tantalizing. Maybe he figured he’d done all he could with the project in a solo capacity, at least in an album format. Fair enough if so, but man…

I guess this is the part where I’m supposed to sell you on how incredible, brilliant, and revolutionary this album is, or something. Well, nothing doing, because any hyperbole on my end well undoubtedly oversell Freefloater. Truth is, for as unique a sound The HIA cultivated, it isn’t for everyone. Those cold electronic soundscapes aren’t the most inviting, even with the dubbed-out mixdown giving it a degree of warmth. Granted, that was The HIA’s whole appeal, but it could take some time before coming around to Mr. Bird’s music, if you were ever interested in the first place.

If anything, Freefloater is a HIA album for fans of The HIA. Colourform was an easier introduction to Bird's style of music, tracks either fun uptempo numbers or blissy ambient dub. This release, on the other hand, meshes the two together throughout, creating cuts that come off far more abstracted than anything on the prior album. The mix of tempos still exists, now continuously coupled with bleepy acid, crafty space-electro rhythms, and a general fascination with the machine aesthetic.

I'd detail some of these tracks but, um... I'm kinda at a loss for words. I've had Freefloater for years now, listened and enjoyed it many times, yet adjectives still fail me with the particulars, beyond the ol' “it sounds like The Higher Intelligence Agency” fallback. Hell, even the track titles aren't much help. Hubble? Skank? Ting?? Tortoise??? What do these names mean? Little, if anything, in these tracks sound like what those words suggest (and you'd think something like Ting would be incredibly helpful). I can tell you Fleagle is both goofy and soothing, but describing the specifics is beyond me.

All I can offer is Freefloater is a fine album if you're intrigued by ambient techno's potential. It hasn't dated in the slightest, and almost nothing I've come across since its release has emulated Bird's style. Definitely a win-win scenario for the curious among you.

The Higher Intelligence Agency - Colourform (Original TC Review)

Waveform Records:1994

(2012 Update:
I wrote this over five years ago now. At the time, I figured Mr. Bird's brand of dubby electro-ambient was all we'd ever hear from that particular sound. Lo and behold, there's been a minor resurgence of it in recent years, the most notable I've noticed being ASC's occasional dabblings. Mind, none of these producers quite capture The H.I.A.'s quirkiness, but at least there's some attempt to keep the sound alive. More please!)


IN BRIEF: A different sort of downtempo.

Once, long long ago (well, maybe just one ‘long’, but it sounds more dramatic this way, eh?), ambient music with a house or techno rhythm underneath was all the fashionable rage. Compilations filled the EDM market with a mature take on dance music, offering a soundtrack for when the raving ‘mah’sive’ needed to unwind. Many producers were given the green light to show off their creative mellow side without alienating their core audience. In short, it was a good time to be a fan of downtempo.

But that was in the past, and a good chunk of what was considered groundbreaking concept music hasn’t stood the test of time too well. Looking back, it sometimes comes off rather self-indulgent and directionless. However, there are those who’s work sounded so alien to everything else, even their noodly excursions can grip your imagination.

Bobby Bird’s ambient project The Higher Intelligence Agency was formed around the Oscillate Sound System, a collective of music producers and promoters with an affinity for those downtempo techno sounds of the early 90s. The H.I.A.’s profile grew in prominence as word of these events spread, and Bird's tracks were even held in the same regard as Aphex Twin, The Orb, and The Future Sound Of London. Unfortunately, a lack of promotion after the initial ‘ambient dub’ surge relegated him to the underground. And although he’s cropped up in collaborations with similar space ambient names like Pete Namlook and Biosphere, finding new material with the H.I.A. tag has grown increasingly difficult. And now it seems getting his old material is tough as well.

The album you are reading a review on is H.I.A.’s debut, and appears to be out of print now. Being no longer available from its initial label Beyond isn’t surprising though, as it’s been defunct for some time now (although its legacy certainly persists to this day). However, it is quite surprising to see Colourform no longer available on Waveform Records, its American distributor. In fact, it’s the only release that’s ever been deleted from their catalogue, probably due to some sort of legal complication holding it up in limbo. Although this wasn't a terribly rare album at the time, its age has caused a slight inflation of its price through eBay. The question, then, is whether fans of ambient techno should spring those extra few bucks for this release should they be in the market for it.

Frankly, that can depend entirely on how serious you take this kind of music. Although Bird does ambient music as well as anyone, he also has a tendency to allow a quirky sense of humor into his works.

Probably most apparent of this is the breakout track Ketamine Entity. Throughout the entire track is a silly 808 bassline that bobbles about; it does drop in a few some wonderfully thunderous booms as well, but still lends the track to a goofy tone. Throw in tongue-in-cheek spoken dialogue (“This is from the Higher Intelligence; We have concealed the vital evidence; Of the reasons for your existence") and chirpy bleeps and bloops in the background, and you have an ‘anthem’ that’ll make you giggle. That’s probably the most extreme example though. Other tracks like Delta and Speedlearn, while lighthearted, aren’t quite as thick on the stoner humor.

There are those who take their ambient music very seriously though, and have no interest in such tomfoolery. Fortunately for such folks, most of the tracks on Colourform tend to stick to ambient’s strength: easy-going, unassuming, and quite calming. The middle section of the album dwells on such themes, where flowing pads, subtle melodies, and hypnotizing loops glide on gentle rhythms. Of course, this all sounds like any kind of typical ambient, so what makes The H.I.A. noteworthy? Aside from the odd vocal sample, all of Bird’s arrangements rely on the most synthetic of sounds. Most chill music, especially these days, attempts to keep an organic texture in their atmosphere; it keeps us feeling human in our moments of downtime. Bird thought differently though, figuring even the most cold-hearted sounds of technology could bring us the same feelings. And tracks like Influx, Conoid Tone, and Orange make a strong argument in his favor.

A couple of other tracks round out this album with something a little more uptempo, and while they bring interesting variations on the H.I.A. sound, you can tell such tracks really weren’t Bird’s strength. Opener Spectral sounds just like that, an opener putting most of his eggs into the same basket: it has all the trademark synthetic texturing that you’ll come to expect on Colourform, but with a tighter arrangement than the wandering tracks you’ll encounter later in the album. Meanwhile, Re-Echo is Bird’s go at more traditional techno. It’s quite good for what it is, with nifty trancey sounds and bubbling acid; however, it’s not really that different from what you’d hear from any number of similar acts of the era: H.I.A.’s uniqueness is noticeably absent here.

That overall uniqueness, though, is what makes Colourform the intriguing album that it is. There really isn’t much out there that sounds like H.I.A., and despite some of the patchiness on here, this is still a recommended release. One can hope we’ll eventually see a re-issue, but even at slightly inflated eBay prices, fans of ambient techno will be satisfied with Colourform.