Tomorrowland - Stereoscopic Soundwaves: Bliss Out, Vol. 6

Darla
(DRL042: 708527004227)
Release date: 07/15/1997
Genre: Electronic, Ambient

$10.00

Ann Arbor duo who portastudio electronic instrumentals laced with ethereal guitar and percussive loops. Their sound is at once familiar as it is new - spacey, moody, psychedelectronic. This is their debut LP/CD and more than anything else, sounds like the Dick Hyman Moog record from '69 if Ralf and Florian happened to stop by to join the session.

Tomorrowland is a Michigan-based duo consisting of Nick Brockney and Steve Baker, both of Ann Arbor, MI. Prior to Tomorrowland, Brockney had been a member of Children's Ice Cream, who released a single on the Mind Expansion label, a small imprint run by Randall Nieman of the space rock group Füxa. Brockney eventually ended up in Ann Arbor, where he met Steve Baker during orientation as both were preparing to begin attending classes that fall at the University of Michigan. They began making music together in March 1996, initially seeing their first release come out on the Burnt Hair label -- via Mind Expansion -- followed by a 7"-only single, "I Wish I Was an Angel So I Could Sleep on the Moon," released on the Japanese Motorway label. In 1997, they were invited to participate in Darla Records' Bliss Out series. Stereoscopic Soundwaves became the sixth volume in the ambient pop series. The duo used an eight-track Portastudio recording deck to record the EP, looping textured and manipulated guitars, bass, organ, analog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes piano, percussive loops, and something called an audiometer. They then used electronic production techniques to create layer upon layer. The result is subtle and takes repeated listening to fully appreciate. At first much of it sounds like one long, monotone drone of minimalist ambience. Echoed effects and simple, repeated synth motifs carry most of the tunes aloft, with the occasional blurp and chirp from the filtered loops dropping in. The lengthy "Kepler Planet Harmonies" is probably the most interesting statement the duo makes here. ~ Bryan Thomas

1. Arrival

2. Spiraea

3. 100101111

4. A Drop Of Golden Sun

5. Sea Of Serenity

6. Kepler Planet Harmonies