Ultimae Records is on a roll. The French electronic label has so far released the newest Solar Fields effort, the debut album from Connect.Ohm and the fantastic compilation album Greenosophy.
This year also saw the release of Daniel Segerstad's (from Swedish
downtempo giants Carbon Based Lifeforms) sophomore release under the Sync24
moniker called Comfortable Void. And now he's set to release a
collection of unreleased Sync24 material in the form of a download only
album named Ambient Archive which features 14 tracks produced between
1996 and 2002. Apart from being full of familiar sounds and shapes, Segerstad
also has a few surprises up his (relaxed) sleeve.
The journey through time starts with “Silence”, a track which showcases the familiar textures we
became used to hearing on a CBL release with the rawer undertones of Sync24's earlier work. The bassline
sounds familiar enough; it sounds like this could have been a very early demo
for Dance of the Droids off of the recently released Comfortable Void,
a refreshing take on a familiar concept. "Idle" also sounds like familiar
territory. Vintage analogue synths lay on a bed of warm pads and soothing
melodies. The vibe changes with the third track, which is interestingly named “Quad”. It's less ambient and more
downtempo, sonically reminiscent of the later works of Jean-Michelle Jarre. "Nevermind" and "Return" let go completely of the characteristics of ambient
music in favour of a more trip-hop-esque vibe. It's compelling to hear the
classic CBL vibes mixed in with different genres. Even though it's less
ethereal than his current stuff it manages to keep you interest with its
dynamics and melodic passages. “M42”
features a heavy percussive bassline and subtle bits of synth plastered over a
80s style drone. “Monolith” adds
a lot of atmosphere to the already established dynamics featured on this album
with a synth guitar and a steady rock and roll beat.
The album swings you back and forth between relaxed and extremely relaxed
without much effort or a noticeable transition. It's a unique look inside the
mind of Sync24 at a time where he was busy figuring out his sound and
his technique and it does a terrific job at showcasing just how talented this
man really is. A plethora of genres are served to you on a silver platter and
there are enough subtle layers in each track to keep you occupied (or to keep
you company by filling up your room with a certain mood or atmosphere) and
interested. On one hand it's a very engaging album, what with the melodies and
rhythmic elements. On the other hand it's a perfect album to keep you company
when you’re working at home or when you're trying to relax after a long day.
The absolute high point of the album is track 10, the mysteriously titled “Red Fruit”, which sounds like an
analogue jam on a warm afternoon. A close second is the 303 heavy Ambient track
“Node” with its constant acid
melodies and snappy FX. “Titan”
wraps it all up rather nicely by being an extremely deep, slow and relaxing
effort which is interesting thanks to its complex layering.
So is there nothing bad to be said about this album? I find it hard to spot
a defect on this release. Of course it sounds a bit dated but that's
understandable when the newest track on the album was created and finished 10
years ago. If you look past that fact all that remains is a terrific album
which is both dynamic and engaging. An interesting release from back to back
and certainly something I will put on repeat for the coming time. So if you're
a fan of Carbon Based Lifeforms, Sync24 or of Ultimae Records
(although, surprisingly, this particular album is released on Leftfield
Records) entirely you cannot miss this well-crafted album by one of ambient's
finest.
~Chris
8.6
