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The music released on the Hypnos label isn’t the usual cup of ambient, as it most often features rather abstract, psychedelic and experimental-angled works not that easy at hand. Their compilations though are nice opportunities to get a bigger scope on what’s happening in the genre next the bigger names, which also applies to their 2008 “Sounds of a Universe Overheard”. The 70-minute album contains ten tracks by, Jonathan Block, M. Peck, Freq.Magnet, Kirk Watson, DreamSTATE, Seren Ffordd, Dwight Ashley, Justin Vanderberg, Igneous Flame and Tau Ceti, all exclusive to this release. The outcome addresses quirky/cinematic sounds, darker/minimal ambient and pure sonic experimentation and will surely expand the listener’s imagination, especially due to the strong organic and spacious feel surfacing on various tracks. DreamSTATE’s “Ghost Nebula” is an accessible, lush atmospheric affair compared to the three much denser tracks by M. Peck, Freq.Magnet, Kirk Watson, shifting to an alienating, foreboding sphere as Seren Ffordd’s and Dwight Ashley’s pieces arrive. For me though, Justin Vandenberg’s 10-minute “Infection” (an edited version from an original 30-minute piece composed during 2006/2007) is the best track on the compilation. It’s a smooth, soft glistening, airy and Roach-kindred soundscape fitting nicely next to his album “In Waking Moments”. Thereafter, the tracks by Igneous Flame and Tau Ceti carry on in similar elevating, harmonic nature while rounding out the album. All in all, get your hands on a copy of “Sounds of a Universe Overheard” if you like to broaden your ambient horizon or fancy some adventurous stuff. |
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