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eM
Outward
The Foundry (with Hypnos) (2002)
written by Bill Binkelman
From WIND and WIRE http://www.windandwire.com
Evolving/extrapolating from his previous deep space work on all the stars burning bright, Foundry label head Michael Bentley, recording here as his alter-ego eM, takes the listener even deeper into the backwaters of the galaxy on the second offering in the Foundry's EP series, Outward. The CD features three selections, each one between six and eight minutes long, with sounds crafted from earth-bound, outer space, and electronic music sources, all of it (of course) manipulated and shaped to create dark ambient portraits that evoke the deep blackness of space - and beyond.
While not patently abstract, per se, fans of more "classic" spacemusic (Serrie, Bowles, or even Roach) may find themselves somewhat adrift in the overt non-musicality of "From the Earth" with its radio-bursts, static-like textures, and eerie Outer Limits tonalities, married to an undercurrent of natural sounds (animals, insects and, per website liner notes, earthquakes!). By the end of the track, a subtle musical drone quality is folded in amidst the more textural elements, gently ebbing and flowing as it courses through the electronics. "Across the Milky Way," the second track, opens with a haunting and eerie sense of alieness as mini-drones and high-pitched electronic sounds mix in drifting fashion with other whistling effects. There is a feeling of gentle undulation to the assembled whole on this song as it develops. The music seems to "open up" as it progresses, as if a vista was being slowly revealed. The sound sources for this cut include some that are non-terrestrial, e.g. satellite telemetry (much like was the case on "All the stars burning bright"), as well as a subtle melodic component (synth strings perhaps?) which comes and goes under the surface. Closing out the EP is "Beyond the Magellanic Clouds," the deepest spacemusic on the recording. Layers of electronics are woven together to produce a tapestry of non-melodic fabric along with a simple rhythmic pattern of scratchy beats that repeats over and over, while various and sundry disturbing textures are brought from the background into the foreground, such as a deep echoing gong-like drone.
As a continuation/evolution from "All the stars burning bright," Outward explores less musical and more alien sonic terrain, but still manages to remain somewhat traditionally accessible. I say somewhat because there is little here that most people on the street would refer to as "music." But, ambient fans are not people on the street, per se. Goodness knows you can find plenty of recordings that are more experimental or avant garde than Outward. Even at its coldest and most textural, this EP still "feels" like music. It's difficult to articulate the "why" of that statement, so you'll just have to listen to it and decide for yourself if I'm being accurate. Anyone who knows the past output from The Foundry or, specifically, Michael Bentley, should realize that you're not going to hear Jonn Serrie-like spacemusic on one of the label's releases. What you will hear is an exploration of the shadowland where electronics shape-shift into stark and abstract yet evocative soundscapes that take the astute listener on voyages both inward and, well, outward.