About this item

There are very few artists that could compete with the Erased Tapes roster when it comes to throught provoking, modern classical music in the 21st century, and this latest four-track compilation sees them pulling together some of the most effective and beautful pieces from any of their respective catalogues. 

We kick things off with the static music-concrete stillness of 'Fernweh' by Hatis Noit. Slowly pulled synth swells and abstracted twinkling bells are joined by the odd hit of percussion, focusing the disparate organic strands into something cohesive and anchored. It swims with the spirit of Japanese ambient music, but with a little more elctronic interruption and crackling glitched stereo sweeps. 

Masayoshi fujita follows things up with 'Led By A Blue Bird Into The Mountain', drawing melody out of snapping woody hits and organic animalistic wails.There are moments of stillness, but the main refrain here is wrought out of these moments of incidental percussion and the syncopation of a number of elements, crafting melody through reptition. 

Ryan Lee West has always been one of my favourites and sees him here in superb form, abstracting melodies and rhythms with a mix of the vigour of his early years ('Howl' was a particular favourite of mine, and you can still hear the echoes of it here) and the more arty, stretched-out post-club haze. 

This is all before the stunning closer from Daniel Thorne 'Outline Of A Distant Memory' which sees a fractured, world ending static a-la Hecker meet headfirst  with shadowy strings and what could easily be described as a sort of  'train coming out of the fog' rhythmic foundation. It's a wonderful end to a superb compilation, and more evidence (if any were needed) that Erased Tapes are *still* one of the greatest labels around. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A stunning collection of off-piste ambience and drones from some of the greatest artists working in the avant-garde field today, for one of the greatest labels presenting it. Thoroughly brilliant.

TRACK LISTING

1. Fernweh - Hatis Noit
2. Led By A Blue Bird Into The Mountain - Masayoshi Fujita
3. Under Waves, Ascending - Rival Consoles
4. Outline Of A Distant Memory - Daniel Thorne