Dylan Golden Aycock - Saints of Grace (Heligator Records)

the music and cause are a reason to celebrate life - highly recommended. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Tome to the Weather Machine is one of my favorite sites. Throughout the years, I have learned about some excellent music from them. Ryan Hall, founder of Tome, recently created a digital-only singles label - Heligator Records - for the purpose of raising money to maintain and support a library in the Malindza Refugee Camp in Mpaka, Swaziland. Dylan Golden Aycock, of Scissor Tail Editions and Talk West, donates a lovely track comprised of american primitive guitar, sustained tones, drone and ambient passages that is titled, "Saints of Grace." Aycock's idyllic finger picked notes cascade in an intimate setting established at the beginning. As things progress, the tempo changes. Ethereal drone and blissful reverberations from a sustained tone hover gently in the middle - my favorite section. Aycock shines brightly here by introducing a lovely transition that carries the listener to the end on waves of benevolent energy. From heartfelt strings to sustained tones that move tenderly through the stillness, "Saint's of Grace" is arranged adroitly - a hallmark of Aycock's releases. The tunes can be heard at Heligator's site, where one may donate to help promote literacy in Mpaka Swaziland.

peace and love, friends :)

Dura - Altered Resonance (PS047)

Help is on the way - Dura and Pure Kush! Peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Potent oscillations arrive quickly, burrow deep within the still body and illuminate the inner architecture of the listener. Throughout Altered Resonance, on Patient Sounds, there are copious opportunities to merge with the vibrations of life. Mattson Ogg, of Dura, adeptly combines warm drones and ambient/american primitive guitar. With eyelids tightly closed, the supreme resonance cascades through the bones and begets enhanced perception. Nestled in the wave of awareness, one notices the manifestation of delicate strings. Much like the slowly rising sun, incipient strings are initially cloaked by robust drones before becoming a more active part of the compositions - often vacillating between the background and the surface. Overall, Altered Resonance triggers awareness with ease - highly recommended!    
        
Much like my favorite sonic healers, Ogg triggers the sixth and seventh senses. Powerful drones pulsate as solitary strings vibrate throughout the soul. A deluge of majestic vibrations infuse the atmosphere with vitality -  a crest so high that the infinite blue sky seems proximate. Restrained, tranquil guitar becomes more active, even ascending to the fore as the side progresses. Toward the end of side A, a lovely tempo is achieved; surging and receding drones abut serene strums - heavenly. As the flipside commences, an embryonic drone alternatively oscillates and pulses. Fragile strings and field recordings remind me of the lovely elements that pervade a Josh Mason recording. Ogg's use of texture and tone are prominent on side B. Sustained tones bend toward the light -soothing and comforting. Flowing waves in continuous motion become more reflective toward the end. Ethereal and harshly resonant drones combine with shimmering strings near the end.

Altered Resonance, produced in a limited edition of 50 copies, is sold out at the source. However, Tomentosa appears to have the last copies - vital stuff if you prefer to inhabit these zones.

peace and love, friends :)