Thursday, December 6, 2012

Adam Beckley - Blank Screens of Hope (Koppklys #011)



A nug that embodies the diverse beauty of this music.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


The society in which i reside seems to place a high value on the speed with which one completes a task.  Yet, when it comes to music, i believe there is an indirect relationship between the aforementioned speed and the enjoyment of music:  Moving through a release quickly without embracing the experience usually results in dissatisfaction.  For me, music is a fascinating journey.  It is an endeavor in which one explores and learns.     And, the aforementioned is not a criticism of this lovely tape, but a sagacious warning to those that will listen to it and then proceed to the next event in life.  Blank Screens of Hope, the latest release from the immensely talented and Stourbridge-based ambient artist, Adam Beckley on Koppklys, deserves your undivided attention.   The treasure is in the details, as Adam's opaque meditative hymns are comprised of a myriad of textures and shapes that make for an enriching listening experience.  In some sections it is unabashedly warm and embracing, while other tracks are more solemn.

  Compared to the other three tracks, the opening track, which is the title track, is a wonderful display of warm ambient noise.  Dreamy soundscapes glisten and morph among field recordings that are barely audible in the mix.  A true listen will reveal the evanescent beauty that is omnipresent throughout the tape.  Just when one thinks the sound is entering an inert stage, there is a subtle, meaningful shift.  The title track is a document of tranquility - the medicine for the pain.  Through the majority of the track, a calmness in sound is established, and the latter part finds Adam adding other elements.  The foundation of the track gently fades and soon one can hear woozy notes moving tenderly over the tape hiss.  'Groningen City Band', the second track on side A, has a completely different feel compared to the opener.  On this track, Adam is travelling in solemn zones of sound as an opaque cloud and loop of sound slowly expand.  With each iteration, the loop subtly changes.  As it pulses and finally recedes, the character of the sound is altered in the slightest manner.  As the track matures, there are beautiful waves of sound appended to the last section.  The flipside opens with the ethereal track, 'Avner'.  Gorgeous shapes mutate while an elongated stream of energy bisects the waves.  Soon those alluring shapes increasingly populate the mix until they are engulfed by a mass of buoyant energy.

This might be the best tape yet from Koppklys.  Much like one holds life delicately, be at ease with this beautiful tape.  To be focused on these sounds is tantamount to presenting oneself with a gift.  Limited to 54 hand-assembled and hand-numbered copies, Blank Screens of Hope is produced on pro-dubbed TDK SA high bias cassettes.  One can purchase this tape, along with the new batch directly from Koppklys!

peace and love, friends :)