Krill.Minima - Nautica

[abasio]

Krill.Minima

Nautica

Native State Records

2007

 

Tracklist

 

1 Submarine Poetry (7:34)

2 Nautica (7:08)

3 Octopus And Sextant (6:59)

4 The Escargot's Dream (5:32)

5 Princess Of The Undersea Gardens (8:33)

6 Kalmar (5:47)

7 The Sea Horse And The Soft Coral (7:04)

8 Surface From The Groundless Oceans (8:25)

 

I'd never heard of Krill.Minima until recently with this album described as a deep and dubby ambient journey into sub aquatic worlds and atmospheres, released on Native State Records, the label that brought me one of my all time favourite albums Rena Jones - Driftwood so I was obviously intrigued especially when I saw the beautiful cover. I had heard some reports that it was boring but I took a gamble that I'd find it deep & meaningful & I'm glad I did.

 

1. Submarine Poetry

A cold bleak start, with the sounds of the ocean, seemingly on a cold winter's night, hitting the shore. Hints of melody in the peripheral before some chimes hum a soft haunting melody. This definitely hits the spot with me as I've always loved the sound of the sea & when it used so sublimely in music it just makes me melt inside. The melody slowly evolves but it all generally follows the same theme. Nice as it is, the track is of perfect length.

 

2. Nautica

Slight, random percussion manages to sound like the sonic equivalent of flotsam & jetsam, the mood again is desolate & cold. A magnificent synth slices through the track like a cold dark bassline making it's way menacingly across the ocean. That synth becomes the focal point of the track & evolves into a melody of sorts, the percussion still randomly floating above the sea and the melody deep in the depths of the ocean where the light can not penetrate yet music can bring to life. A very nice track, one of the best on the album.

 

3. Octopus & Sextant

Much more minimal here with an intro that seems to lack, anything but random bleak noise. A slow pounding comes in but doesn't really create any rhythm just adds to the nothingness that emanates from the music thus far. About half way in, the beat is accompanied by a bassline that matches it exactly & this manages somehow to create a bit of rhythm & movement in the track making the nothingness seem like a tangible substance. A bit abstract but good abstract none-the-less.

 

4. The Escargots Dream

A more rhythmic, leisurely & melodic track is up next. Much more music with a steady beat, intricate sub beats & a much warmer feeling than any of the first three tracks. More energy too with the sounds seemingly like they are building to something. That something is a nicely structured melody that makes me feel like riding on the back of a large fish as it rides just under the surface of the sea, close enough to see the glistening sunlight shining through the exterior & into the expanse we are travelling.

 

5. Princess Of The Undersea Gardens

This kinda starts off as a mix between the last two tracks. Random desolation but rhythmical enough to be called musical. The whole track continues in similar fashion with there just being enough melodic input to breathe a beam of light onto an otherwise, dark, cold, desolate atmosphere. The main melody comes in around the halfway mark & instead of driving the atmosphere upwards, manages to plunge it further into the depths of the ocean. Down passed the influence of the sun, where the only light comes from phosphorescent life down that far. Very nice second half of the track, well led into by the first half.

 

6. Kalmar

Melody as if from the sea bed, rushes up like a deep sea vent. Unexpected warmth in the midst of all this cold aquatic wilderness. Little random clicky sounds, feel like inconsequential life summoned to the warmth, feeding off it, here at the bottom of the world. A very nice piece of ambient, descriptive and very welcome, perfectly placed in the album.

 

7. The Sea Horse & The Soft Coral

Stronger beats sound almost dubby, but imagine dub at the bottom of the ocean & you get the atmosphere represented here. Bass synths rise up & disappear, then more rise up & disappear again into the black water overhead. Halfway through the percussion & the glitch gets out of control, unstructured & very whirly, like a school of fish swimming round & round & round in what looks like it should be out of control but that always manages to fix itself before spinning wildly out of sight. As does the music, this chaos restructures itself into a somewhat cohesive unit.

Weird stuff.

 

8. Surface From The Groundless Oceans

A very well titled track, this to me really feels like I am resurfacing from my underwater adventure. The sounds of the ocean lapping against the shore can be heard in the distance & the melody is the nicest on the CD yet. Cold yet hopeful, melancholic but encouraging. A very nice way to round of the album, coming out of the depths to the surface, sunlight on our face again, even if I can't feel it's warmth, I can feel it's optimism, it's assurance of life. After the cold lifeless life at the bottom of the ocean, it's a cheery surprise.

 

 

Well, what a journey. Krill.Minima has managed to create a very nice ambient adventure under, on & around the oceans. Starting out by the shore, diving deep into the depths of the huge expanse of water, riding close to the surface, almost seeing the light, plunging down deeper that we though possible, finding the dark scary life that dwells on the sea bed & the warmth of the deep sea vents that gives life to so many. Finally to resurface to our world, where the sun beats down furiously upon us & everything is easy to comprehend.

Krill.Minima has done a great job with a concept I'm always fond of. The sea.

You might feel a little bored on this if you give it a casual listen but stick with it, it's definitely a grower.

[Sawfly]

Very nice stuff. Smooth and soothing, but I like his works under Marsen Jules better..

 

4/5 to this album.

[FTP]

One replay for such an incredible shit. Same match as Ultimae releases.

[Sawfly]

Very nice stuff. Smooth and soothing, but I like his works under Marsen Jules better..

 

4/5 to this album.

I'll update my rating to 5/5. I've given this more listens and found out that it's as good as the Marsen Jules albums

[exotic]

my first choice for deep snoozing sessions. 5/5 from me as well.

 

great review abasio. its very difficult to put down those emotions and thoughts on what you are hearing, especially ambient , into words and you seem to do be pretty good at it.

[Drosophila]

Great album indeed! I love the submerged theme, I know what CD I would bring if I had to go down the abyss!

This album does not reveal all it's beauty easily, for me it has taken some repeated listens to really get it under my skin, but now it just sems to get better for every time I listen to it I almost can't ask for more!

 

Native State are proving to be a label to look out for with so many nice releases in 07 (this one, Kilowatt - Ground State and VA - Bioluminescence)! Good to see that the standard is kept high, its not about quantity but quality!!!

 

 

from me a 4.5/5

[p(sy)ayam]

this is one of those albums that takes you to another world. all you have to do is to close your eyes and suddenly you're floating in a vast ocean. the flow of the album is perfect, in fact one of the best. i love the last track, not because it's any better than other tracks, but it's a perfect ending to an amazing album...

highly recommended