Not just background music for new age shops or bedtime treats for ravers, under the beat-less direction of Paul Dickow and E*Rock, ambient music merges with sound art in this showcase of Portlands home-grown ambisonic and bliss pop talent. Featuring a sonic wash of tracks from indie artists such as Yellow Swans, Lucky Dragons and White Rainbow, the near-beat-less soundscape, broken only by the fuzzed-out, minimal techno of AM/PM's "Even As We Are and brief cut-up groove of Freeforms "Aunt Meridian, seems at times more suited to art installation than home listening. Most likely chalked up as a spaced-out sound collage by the average ambient fan, experimental music lovers will appreciate the thick soup of disembodied samples, digitally processed drones and minimally melodic and overly moody interludes.
(Audio Dregs)Various
Ambient Not Not Ambient
BY Romina WendellPublished May 25, 2008