Mighty Tom basking in the Danbience!

Volume 8

Danbient

I really enjoyed this collection. I also enjoyed reading and rereading your comments. Very nice! I knew that Dan had been listening to ambient music, but did not guess that this would have been his next offering. The album art is really great! I love the colors and the eclipse reflects the musical themes of many of the songs perfectly. The word ‘Danbient’ is quite clever in and of itself.

Ambient. Atmosphere. Coming at you from all sides. The ambient function on the drum machine that Dan and I have used actually has a setting called “space” which is funny because of the multiple space connections that Dan has noted on many of these songs. Good ole space!

My clock radio has a relatively famous “ambient” setting. Some folks sit around with pot and lava lamps. How about pizza and ambient clock radio sound? Whoa! Nothing like that to relax after a viewing of a Star Trek episode – unless it was simply another episode of sleep, in which case you really might need that ambient sound of your alarm clock!

What is ambient MUSIC then? I think Dan’s service to the club is at least two-fold. One, he has educated us a bit about what ambient music is and two, he has weeded through so much ambient music to filter out this fine representation of a genre we may not have been very familiar with.

I am very grateful that Dan chose ambient music with funk, dance, and hip-hop inclinations! So easy to swallow.

Dan’s “non-demanding background aural landscape” works for me, as does the quote by Eno to explain what ambient music is.

Ambient music, especially the selections here, can be related to transient, techno, atmospheric, and hip-hop music. Mortal Combat Soundtrack songs and The Beastie Boys are about as close that I come to owning anything close to ambient music (that is, until the arrival of Vol. 8). I have had to separate myself from thinking of ambient music as pop songs. This is certainly a departure for the club. They are very long songs that, like hip-hop, have arrangements where a new element is added at strategic points, until at which time the producer feels he or she has had enough and fades it down. Unlike hip-hop and pop in general, these songs have no lyrical direction and are free to meander through a mood or feeling– the essence of ambience. Many of these songs could easily be used as soundtrack material.

This marks the first time in the club when I did not already own one of the songs – or even anything by any of the artists. All songs and artists were entirely new to me. I may have heard of the Crystal Method before, but that’s about it. Very new to me through and through.

I love Dan’s “..French guys in one of their mother’s basement” just cranking out these songs. Living in their Nerdtopia.

I can and usually do DO stuff while listening to music, though I can also simply do nothing BUT listen to music. However, ambient music and jazz fall into the category of music where I really need to be doing something to listen. I listen better to rock/pop and classical music when I just listen and do nothing else. I listen better to ambient music and jazz when I am doing something. Preparing food, cleaning, and especially driving. In fact, ambient music is GREAT to drive to. A somewhat interesting connection between jazz and ambient music – ambient being simpler, but both incorporating free forms and both excellent in the background.

I truly love McCartney’s Fireman and had hoped to see a song or two included here, though Dan has informed me as to his reasons why he did not. For those that do not know – Paul McCartney (former Beatle) under the guise of Fireman, has put together at least two ambient/transient sort of albums-both excellent. Dan can tell you more if you would like more information.

I have no basis to make comments on the artists except to echo Dan’s hilarious remark about The Crystal Method being France’s answer to The Chemical Brothers. Every country and their mother (usually England) has an answer for The Chemical Bros. No band has ever demanded so many answers as the Chemical Brothers. Now with Danbient, we have ALL the answers!

Now, a few comments about each of the songs.



1. Witch Doctor

I really like the bass line.

The constant reminder that the song is entitled “Witch Doctor” constantly reminds me that the song is titled “Witch Doctor.”

Like many of the songs, these could be used as a backdrop to scenes in movies. Yes, scenes in movies about dwarves. I can see the dwarves digging in the deep under the cruel supervision of the Doctor. The dwarves are oppressed, but sing while they dig, despite the horrid conditions. More Disney than Tolkien here.



2. Café Coca

I think the music matches the title very nicely, if not the subject matter. I was struck by the connection to Dante’s description of hell. The Seventh circle contains the realms (circles as referred to by De-Phazz) of violence – against neighbor, self, and god. The line “you’ll be there for not being able to stop me” refers to the “blow my brains out” bit (violence against self).

Instead of an inferno, we have a setting of a wild alienish café. A new take on hell. Wonderful!




3. High Roller

One of my favorites on the CD. The pimply spaz with no date is out of control. I love Dan’s description in his comments. The cool as a cucumber guy is Johnny Cash! “We’ve got it.” Listen carefully to the voice – cool Cash! If it is a Johnny Cash sample, the title would suddenly make perfect sense!!!

I like this song for many of the same reasons as Dan. It really gets you going, exciting and dramatic, with excellent build-ups. I can see myself dialing this song up occasionally on the ole iPod.




4. Le Soleil est Pres de Moi

Reminds me of the creepy robots from the Bee Gee infested Sgt. Pepper movie. This song has a 70s afternoon feel to it.



5. Tension on Sight

Ewan McGregor – now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.

The woman is so hot that your light saber turns on instantly. An awkwardness exists, only one thing can cut this tension and it’s all ready to go. Do you explain it? Walk away? No you cannot walk away. Someone might see. What would you say? What could you do?



6. Sea of Tranquility

This song took a little while to grow on me, but I have become a fan. It definitely captures a feel. Helplessness, a slow journey into an unknown. A little Space Oddity feeling going on.

There is a Stingish/Enyaish sound that is playing a nifty little lick – a type of melody unique on this CD. I like it.




7. Wilderness

Oh yes – I can totally see this in Master Blaster. The Lost Levels. Mixdorf, as the only person in the world to have found them has achieved fame and renown amongst the international gaming community. I like some of the sounds used in this one, especially the steel drum through a wah wah pedal type of sound.



8. Devotion #1

I am a sucker for Indian music or music made with Indian instruments. It was practically a given that I would like this song. It could be that when and if I ever have my fill of rock music, I just might spend the rest of my days listening to Indian music.

I love the sounds of nature mixed with the drums, voice, and other Indian instruments. The mantra is effective and I wish I knew what the words were saying. Any clues from your source Dan? The voice is airy and works in well with the rest of the sounds. It builds nicely and never loses the focus on the repeated phrase.

Reminds me occasionally of ‘Baby You’re a Rich Man’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’. I really like this one.




9. Numero Deux

When I mentioned The Beastie Boys, this is the song that I was specifically referring to. You can almost hear Ad Rock squawking over the top. The marimba type instrument totally reminds me of ‘Hello Nasty’ as does the sound that begins at 2:28. “What’s That Flying in The Sky?” just the B-Boys like sardines in a tin can – that’s all. I’d like to know the names of the people who worked on this record. I wonder if we’d recognize any of them. Great beat.



10. Rapture At Sea

Eastern Sun stopped working with Mike Kelley in the late 20th Century. Mike was getting into coke (like who was into coke in the late 20th century?) and was clouding up Eastern Sun’s vision. I really liked your gravity car description.

Hickaman. He once had an idea for magnet cars - back in Intermediate School. Grids and huge magnets and copper cars and traffic controls. I watched him as he spoke. He had some real passion for it. That boy was swell.



Closing Comment

Great addition to the club. It was fun getting to know ambient music and I look forward to these songs popping up in the shuffle. Cover art, comments, song selection were all very strong. As stated before – I do appreciate these songs being culled with care and presented to us, your club mates, for review and enjoyment. Thanks!


My BS of the collection

Devotion #1

High Roller was a fairly close second. Sea of Tranquility was under surprise consideration.


SIWHI

Anything from The Fireman.