V/A - Floatation
Artist: Various
Title: Floatation
Label: Interchill
Date: 2001
Track listing:
01. 07'42" Neil Sparkes : Miramar
02. 07'58" Adham Shaikh : Sabadhi
03. 10'03" Ishq : Sol
04. 03'16" Mystical Sun : River Goddess
05. 04'35" Mere Mortals : Lyricism Of Symmetry
06. 07'36" Steve Roach : This Life
07. 07'31" Makyo : Clarity (Melting Snow Mix)
08. 06'28" Shpongle : Saudade (Part 2)
09. 05'27" Eat Static : Caveman
10. 04'27" Circular 1 : Drifting
Review:
What a fabulously calm, subtle and deep journey this cd is. I hope to get a
load more reviews of Interchill's stuff onto this site, but this is a good way
to start. This Canadian label's last compilation - Infinissence (highly
recommended also) - took a slightly electro flavour, where this sounds like it
grew out of well watered soil. Organic, fluid and soothing. These are artists
at the top of their field. The only newcomer to my musical experience is
Circular - and yet this is a very unpretentious and humble album. Shpongle
have been known to be a bit exuberant at times, but here lies one of the
softest tunes I have heard from them. Gio Makyo , who's earned a superb
reputation as kingpin of Dakini records, also delivers a touching and well
crafted specimen. At present my favourite tune is from Adam Shaikh (aka Drift,
member of Ekko & other Interchill projects) . The artists were asked to
picture themselves having a coconut-oil massage on a tropical beach, and that
just about captures the gist of what to expect here. It's not really
psychedelic - nor is it the icier sort of ambient that you might here from,
say, Biosphere, but this is warm and dreamy throughout. I would say that
something like Mana medicine (from Liquid Sound Design) represents a close
cousin of this sound - though this is quieter and the tracks are less
'standalone'.
The album is chimed in by Neil Sparkes with an ethnically rich introduction.
Then the delicious Adam Shaikh piece fills the emotional channels. Ishq turns
on the pure ambience with a beatless excursion (watch out for the Ishq album).
Mystical Sun follows in the same manner (good music can be made in America too
you know !! If you want to see the real river goddess that inspired this tune
have a look at: http://www.mysticalsun.com/images/daturawaterfall.jpg ). Mere
Mortals raise the alertness levels a little , and more soothing synths from
Mr Roach, but still no beats to interrupt your flight. Then comes Makyo's
treat to the senses. Being one of my favourite chillout artists, I am happy to
say that this doesn't disappoint. It's a really mature tune that doesn't sound
quite like Makyo I have heard before until the quintessential female vocal
lifts the soul in preparation for Shpongle. It's flutes at high noon from the
genre masters - as I said before more 'still' than a lot of the recent
Shpongle tracks; beatless but no less captivating. Eat Static have gone beyond
doing anything that surprises me ...but see if you can relate this tune to
what you might have heard on Science of the Gods !? Circular closes the lid to
this box of delights with a rich and synthy few minutes ending in some
atmospheric moments from the movie Alien - an 'ambient' classic in its own
right. I'd play any of the tunes in a really calm chillout set, but the whole
album is more than the sum of the parts and is best served whole. 8/10
