realize the shimmering beauty of the day with this nug full of kindness and compassion. peace and much love to my friends at Humboldt Relief for providing the key to the lock.
Life is good when your shrouded in nugs and next level tones. Windowing, a split release on the venerable Koppklys between Sky Stadium and Pierrot Lunaire, is one of the best splits of 2012, and the finest missive yet from this burgeoning label. Perfect in its execution, this split presents two different perspectives on ambient beauty. Where as Sky Stadium provides buoyant vignettes of new age vibes to assist in spiritual awakening, Pierrot Lunaire plugs you into his grid, and one returns grounded and enlightened.
The medicine to redefine your head-space beings with an injection of Sky Stadium's blue imbued hymns - the perfect way to commence the day. Hot on the heels of excellent releases on Bridgetown and Exo, Sky Stadium enchants the listener with elongated, placid tones. There is an interesting contrast in mood, as the third track presents heavier, somewhat darker sounds compared to the other three tracks which comprise side A. Besides being the longest track of side A, the fourth track, 'Into the Wild Blue', develops at a nice pace, adding layers subtly that take the sound to the next level. Ultimately, this is the track in which the listener 'buys the ticket' to the psilocybin imbued world that manifests on the flipside.
In one of my first reviews, I noted that Pierrot Lunaire - John DeNizio - creates music with the power of healing. Once again, the power of John's music is felt instantly. Given his past releases, I expected to hear the sax; however, if it is present, then it is buried under mellow, hazy sounds which he exudes. 'The Flowery Dream' is a sidelong track, in which John transitions through many alluring states, each with its unique personality. The music here glows with entheogenic beauty. The first few parts make me think of some fantasy situation in which an EKG is being performed, but instead of electrode discs attached to your chest, one finds psilocybin mushrooms in their place. Through osmosis, it produces an otherworldly effect where the breathing is slow and measured, while the ecstasy pours forth from the speakers. The tones here glow and recede in a glorious cycle. Throughout this side, the transitions take one through an environment of vacillating, turbulent loops and beautiful tape moves. The side ends with woozy, gossamer tones that gently stir in the head. The music here reminds me of the Raajmahal Digitalis tape from earlier this year- gauzy tones glisten in the tape murk, coupled with serene vocals. The soundtrack for coming down gently.
What else is left to say after having your head-space readjusted in this manner? After listening to something like this, I want to board the tricked out Herbcraft vehicle to get lost in the sun - continue the trip. Fredrik Rangnes, proprietor of Koppklys, has created a beautiful label - I would say tape label, but according to this awesome interview, conducted by my friend Brian at his excellent site, Guide Me Little Tape, it appears that Koppklys will spread its wings in the upcoming year. Fredrik's passion for tape music shines through on this release. His label is a celebration of experimental music, and it not constricted to any one genre. The new batch of Koppklys is the best yet, and it includes releases from Venn Rain and Daw Nusk - the latter being one of the nicest surprises of the year. Buy 'Windowing' directly from Fredrik!
peace and love to my friends :)
