The Original Flowering Earth - Hosshin ((Cave - 22))

plunged into the stash and experienced nirvana. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The mindful warrior's universe expands infinitely and that level of awareness is present in Hosshin from the Original Flowering Earth - Kyle Wade of Goldtimers - on ((Cave)) Recordings. Kyle delivers us to the promised land with a tape that adeptly combines field recordings, electronic and acoustic sources. After two sparkling splits on Goldtimers and Planted Tapes, Kyle's first solo recording - comprised of outdoor recording sessions in various yards and gardens in Chicago and Colorado - is notable for the manner in which it sonically precipitates the experience of ephemeral, solemn moments; elation; discovery; and contemplation. Bright, hopeful hues shine through opaque noise to warm the heart. Periodic bursts of noise are circumscribed by a placid drone. Soon, playful and gentle sounds caress the listener as we walk into the light of day - my favorite section on the tape! Later, buoyant strings graduate into celestial synth joined by fervent tones. Moments of serenity glow in subdued noise from field recordings. Fluctuating, tranquil waves merge and grace one's head with a fine mist. The three part suite on the flipside is lovely. Meditative synth shimmers over a layer of resonant energy. Ethereal and lustrous sounds bend and contort.

      When I consider achingly beautiful music that caresses the listener, the Original Flowering Earth and Former Selves are at the top of my list; it's not a coincidence that they share a split on Planted Tapes. Hosshin has a way of minimizing the distance between the speakers and the listener. The soul instantly coalesces with earnest and peaceful vibrations. Overall, Hosshin speaks to life. In any single moment, one may experience joy, sorrow, compassion, wonder, wistfulness, numbness or a range of feelings. Yet, the good, bad and in between occur in the same moment. And, that sensation permeates Kyle's music. Hosshin is produced in an edition of 50 cassettes and may be purchased directly from ((Cave Recordings)).

peace and love, friends :)

Polluted Water / The Original Flowering Earth - Acid Mine Tide/Morphogenetic Intent (GLD 027)

the kief on top of the bowl - magical stuff.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Split releases that exhibit a contrast between artists provide an intriguing listening experience.  When it comes to splits, Goldtimers is one of the best in the tape game.  Combing their discography, one encounters excellent tapes from Kevin Greenspon/Former Selves; Christopher Merritt/Sound Out Light; Venn Rain/Past Utopia and many more.  They have outdone themselves with the Polluted Water/ The Original Flowering Earth (OFE) split.  This analog gem is a blend of experimental/kosmische/new age vibrations.  Polluted Water is an effervescent elixir of disparate elements.  Even cell membrane technology cannot normalize this water.  As it flows downstream, it accumulates matter, becoming more potent and variegated.  Yet, there is nothing sordid about consuming this jacked up kosmische brew that bubbles with sci-fi energy.  Drink deeply my friends!  The blinding light and serenity of the Original Flowering Earth reside in the unadulterated azure sky.  OFE harvests the crystals from your synapses.  This new age beauty blooms at the zenith, where the eternal sun dwells.

Polluted Water's side, 'Acid Mine Tide', travels a tortuous path replete with various vicissitudes.  The A side starts with synth music for inner gazing.  The initial section is a lofi amalgamation composed of a warm drone, grainy transmissions, morphing vocals and echoing soft tones.  Soon, the synth is blurred, moving into and out of focus - bright in focus, obscured when it is more removed.  The sonic results are gorgeous, sounding like Black Dice circa Beaches and Canyons/Boards of Canada tracing the contour of a rainbow.  These sounds secrete the crystals that make your bowl blaze!!  Decayed percussive sounds give way to synth that exudes sun damaged hues.  The various textures, ranging from smooth to splitting at the ends, are lovely.  A section of aural dissonance leads to a sanctuary in the ether.  Solemn organ and chanting lead to the lectern.  Once the traveler swallows the wafer and pulls the veil back from the arc, pulsing preternatural vibrations and rhythms become consuming - sci-fi renderings that lead one down a foreboding corridor.  Soon aural ellipses - alternating between enervated and excited states - dominate the head.

The Original Flowering Earth's side has become one of my favorite ambient/new age jams.  'Morphogenetic Intent'  embraces your head with all the love and serenity of mindful breathing.  Side B rewards the attentive listener.  Yet, the interminable waves of tranquility will undoubtedly transport you to a relaxed state.  Never inert, this track is always becoming.  Each subsequent wave presents a new cycle of the breath, with slight variations that shimmer in the forefront of your head.  Nascent, warm waves of energy, coupled with benevolent oscillations, ascend placidly.  The pulsating serenity at the apex has the effect of the sun warming the torso.  As the track matures, especially near the end, the changes are more perceptible.  The tempo decreases, moving into languorous territory.  Sublime stuff on this side!

The recent Goldtimers batch is replete with quality, and this tape oozes with lovely sounds.  Acid Mine Tide/Morphogenetic Intent was produced in a limited edition of 50 pro-duplicated tapes with a double-sided j-card.  Don't wait on this one - Goldtimers tapes move quickly.  Purchase a copy of this great tape directly from Goldtimers. 
                    

peace and love, friends :)