William Basinski: Disintegration Loops I-IV (4.5/5)

Year: 2001 & 2003
Genre: Ambient Minimalism
Label: 2062
TRT: I: 74:28 II: 74:31 III: 72:28 IV: 74:25

There's something disturbingly fascinating about death. Something intrinsically beautiful in matter changing form.

The raccoon carcass you stare at, even though you're revolted by it. The sickly sweet smell of decay, that for the moment before it's source is identified tickles your nostril in a most pleasant way.

I for one have always been intrigued by decay in all forms. Animals, trees, buildings, whatever. I think that's a big part of why these recordings resonate so strongly within me.

Basinski was attempting to transfer some of his oldest works from magnetic tape to digital files, but the tapes were too worn, too tired and too fragile to survive the process.

So what we get instead, is the sound of oblivion. As the tapes deteriorated before his eyes, Basinski kept recording, and captured the final mournful vibrations of forgotten genius, in all it's entropic beauty.

I find it a bit ironic that what has become Basinski's most well known work was birthed from the destruction of something no one ever got to hear.

Disintegration Loops
01 DLP 1.1
02 DLP 2.1

Disintegration Loops II
01 DLP 2.2
02 DLP 3

Disintegration Loops III
01 DLP 4
02 DLP 5

Disintegration Loops IV
01 DLP 6
02 DLP 1.2
03 DLP 1.3

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Valet: Naked Acid (5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Non-Metal Albums of 2008
#1 out of 10


Year: 2008
Genre: Atmospheric Psychedelic Minimalism
Label: Kranky Records
TRT: 43:47

I walked through a room where this album was playing, and I instantly fell for it. The lush textures and dreamy atmosphere are unmatched, and the smoky, sensual and dark vocals of Honey Owens drip over the heavily layered soundscapes in such an elegant way. This is the sort of album you put on repeat, and just sink further and further into it’s hypnotic mystery.

01 We Went There
02 Drum Movie
03 Kehaar
04 Fuck It
05 Babylon 4 Eva
06 Fire
07 Streets

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Ulver: Shadows of the Sun (5/5)

#2 out of 10
Non-Metal Album of 2007

Year: 2007
Label: Jester
Genre: Dark Minimalism
TRT: 48:47

Ulver makes gorgeous music. Whether it's traditional Norwegian folk, electronically enhanced trip-hop, dark ambient or sludge metal, and their ninth full-length offering is true to form. Going back to their Silence… era sound, the blueprint is expanded into a more lush, minimalist framework of sounds, soothing and comforting while remaining entirely morose and melancholic. Thought-provoking and reflective, this is a record for dark nights and a glass of wine.

01 Eos
02 All the Love
03 Like Music
04 Vigil
05 Shadows of the Sun
06 Let the Children Go
07 Solitude (Black Sabbath)
08 Funebre
09 What Happened?

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