: foundry indices : reviews : sounds : : : news : pictures : words : : : the foundry REVIEWS from the Electroambient Space Newsletter written by Phil Derby Electroambient Space site Ben Swire "Equilibrium" (Foundry, 2002) 4 tracks, 17.28 mins Another glitchy piece of cool ambience from The Foundry label, this brief EP gives a glimpse into the soundworld of Ben Swire. Soft drifting synths and cool beats form "Interim," along with a bit of static for good measure. I know that adding static and buzzes to some ambient music is all the rage these days, but for me the added noise spoils an otherwise very promising track. "Departure" is better, with a great shuffling beat and more long drifts of synthesized flowing sounds. This time, the static is much more restrained, and only appears toward the end of the piece. I could see this music being a cool soundtrack to an independent film of some sort. The EP gets stronger as it goes along, "Knot" being a touch cooler than its predecessor. A shuffling beat similar to "Departure" plays over bright delicate keys. The tone of the EP is very laid back, with just the right degree of restlessness about it. "Score" relies on an unusual clicking sound for its rhythm, along with an unusual pulsing sound that is difficult to describe. A surprisingly beautiful melody materializes in the midst of a mostly quirky sound palette. So, we have a 17+ minute EP with three outstanding tracks and one that I'd like equally well if the static were more subdued in the mix. Equilibrium is a very promising start from Ben Swire, definitely someone to keep an eye on. © 2003 Electroambient Space