The apothecary provided me with this beautiful sonic medicine. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)
It's the music that makes one excited to press play. With each iteration it unleashes waves of healing and mystical energy. During the day, I toil without direction. However, at night, the third eye is activated by this cassette on Terrapin Recordings, based in Hamilton, Ontario. Pure synergy on this split tape cloaked in visceral vibrations between Thoughts On Air and NoShoesandOneSock. These artists engage in the practice of healing by way of lambent sonic energy. There are sections in this tape that have me returning to the stereo night after night; it's music that I trust and something which makes my dwelling a better place.
Thoughts On Air is in fine form on the side A, promulgating a gorgeous ambient paean that progresses through several stages. Hazy, serene bright tones bleed into the ether as an aural light show commences. The soporifically writhing loop is inundated by a deluge of twinkling strings and faint field recordings. Thoughts On Air exhibits a lovely contrast between the placidly flowing passage of sound and the flickering strings. When one is tuned in to this track, the changes are wonderful to experience. Shortly, the strings begin to overwhelm the other layers; myriad vibrant colors are exuded from the speakers. And, then the track arrives at this one section where peaceful loving kindness is omnipresent. As the waves ripple through the soul, the sun becomes ensconced in soft clouds. It's essence radiates in copious directions. A granular point in time that embraces the soul for eternity; an instance when the reverberations are most visceral and realized, making other observations dull by comparison. Momentarily, a wave vacillates, abutting the luminous passage. Poignant strings lightly resonate prior to being encumbered by a collage of sound. Ethereal, languorous waves embrace the body on the ride home.
NoShoesandOneSock's This is Our Raga cassette, available here, will be on my end of year list. It's the kind of tape that keeps giving. In that tape, and on the flipside of this split, NoShoesandOneSock wonderfully juxtaposes ambient and eastern sounds; flowing soundscapes, with the sitar employed in a lovely manner. The sound vacillates from start to finish. And, there is a mystical ubiquity that makes this an engaging experience with each iteration. Bowed tones and passages of enveloping sound hover like dank indica haze at the start of side B. Elongated, sustained tones resonate faithfully next to the drone of the sitar. Shortly, the sonic atmosphere becomes sparse. At this juncture, it's the perfect setting, which allows the instruments to reverberate into space - the sitar is very beautiful in this section. Though I have only heard a few tapes, NoShoesandOneSock are adroit at imbuing the listener's environment with patient, sustained, radiant tones. Momentarily, a lighter sonic atmosphere prevails. This section is a mellifluous passage that has a dreamy, somnolent energy. Concentrated plucks of benevolence buttress the listener toward the end.
The Honest Bag healing kit is self-described, and this tape is always prepared to resuscitate the day. Unequivocally, one of the best tapes of 2013. Currently, this cassette is unavailable. However, Tomentosa rewards those who continually refresh their browser. With artwork by Drew Taylor and layout by Jamie Ryan Downey, Terrapin has already released two of my favorite tapes this year. Not much information, but they do have a presence on facebook.
peace and love, friends :)
thanks to maplecreekjunction for the good vibe
