(val)Liam - Daydreamer

[abasio]

 

Artist: (val)Liam

Title: Daydreamer

Label: Celestial Dragon Records

Released: 8th April 2009

Style: Downbeat/Ambient

 

Tracklist

 

1. Gaia (7:54)

2. Happy Accidents (10:03)

3. Freefall (7:02)

4. Earth (5:23)

5. Somewhere Not Here (5:26)

6. Lotus Dancing (6:54)

7. The Mystic (9:13)

8. Solace (7:57)

9. In Samsara (6:10)

10. Daydreamer (7:12)

 

(val)Liam, Liam Skogland from Canada is out with his first physical album release on Celestial Dragon Records. Having previously had 2 tracks on VA - Intermittent Memories which for me were both standouts on that compilation I was very excited when I heard of this release. I was hoping that Celestial Dragon were releasing something to rival last year’s Distant System – Spiral Empire and while this is very different concerning the style and atmosphere it really compares well when talking about quality. From start to finish this album uses lush sounds that are light, melodic and bubbly. The whole album has a fresh late spring or early summer feel and I think that this will be one album I will be playing a lot this summer. This album fills me with an expectation that the summer is going to be a great one & it is making me glad that I have decided to move out of the city & near the beach.

I really like how (val)Liam has used a lot of acoustic sounds & blended them with some oldschool Goa Ambient atmospheres. The piano, guitar and bass add some really nice natural flavours but for me it is the clean tribal beats that sound like they are being played with hollowed out tubes of bamboo banging against each other that really make this magical. The sound to the entire album is incredibly clean & although it is unmistakably electronic the atmosphere created is so natural & acoustic. Gaia (T1) is a perfect example of this as I can feel the wind through my hair, the birds in the trees and the water lapping at my feet although none of these sounds are actually used.

 

The first 3 tracks are quite beat orientated sounding like fresh oldschool Goa similar to some of the ambient CDs on the Global Psychedelic Trance compilations. The next 6 are much more ambient with very few beats if any & feeling so very chilled out. Earth (T4), Somewhere Not Here (T5) & Lotus Dancing (T6) sound like they could be on Ishq’s album Orchid with pristine sounds, trippy atmospheres & a touch of the ethereal. Although I make this comparison I never get the feeling that (val)Liam is copying Ishq as these tracks have a flavour all of their own. The Mystic (T7) feels like it could be on The Mystery Of The Yeti with some very Himalayan sounds. It is the only track that starts cold but it gets warmer as it progresses like we are coming down a mountain from the area of permanent snow to a rain forest at the base. The next two tracks are blissful tracks made for relaxing and forgetting about busy stressful lives. The final track Daydreamer sees a return to beat orientated psychill from the opening trio and with its nice beach party atmosphere it seems perfectly placed to make me want to start the album again, which I have done time & time again.

 

Recommendation: This album is a must for any fan of chillout, ambient or downbeat. With such a clean natural feel this album would be great for warm summer days in the park or at the beach, or just chilling out at home. This is great if you want a fresh touch on some oldschool ambient atmospheres. It is trippy, detailed and so very relaxing in the middle.

 

Favourites: All

 

Up to here, originally published on http://www.isratrance.com

 

Track By Track Analysis

 

1. Gaia

Gaia starts of with some lush summery vibes, sounds twinkle like light reflecting of a lake and some acoustic bass tones sound a little like a summer afternoon by the lake with a guitar, some beer & not much to do. As the music tries to become more intense it feels to me like the Earth is speaking to me, the wind through my hair, the birds in the trees and the water lapping at my feet. Although non of these sounds are used I still get the feeling they are there and when the beat kicks in I feel as if I am standing on the shore with the lake behind me looking for miles over the lush green landscape. All the sounds are bright and warm. It is a perfect track for spring or summer. Listen to it outside on a warm sunny day & it will set the mood for the rest of the album.

 

2. Happy Accidents

Lush sounds accompany high piano notes at the start of this one creating a floating feeling while still being anchored by gravity. It’s like floating high above the Earth without the possibility of escaping the pull of the Earth & flying off into space. The piano counters the floatiness of the other sounds. It takes a while for it to evolve into anything other than floaty goodness but when the lush bamboo sounding tribal beat comes in it is worth the wait. Such a lovely clean sound to the beats and as they fade & the more shuffley beats become more prominent I am left with a sense of omnipresence over the world, seeing all lives at once from the mightiest of kings to the lowliest of insects knowing all are equal & beautiful. This is a real feel good track filled with happy notes, nice piano & wonderful beats.

 

3. Freefall

Freefall picks up the pace a little more now with some nice chilled break beats but while still keeping the overall atmosphere created by the opening two tracks. Once again all the sounds are bright happy sounds, not a hint of darkness in their. The melodies here seem a little more involved & structured than before as is the whole track with breakdowns, beats kicking back in with out the melodies, slowly bringing in bass, then more sounds & the melodies returning. This for me really puts me in mind of some old school Goa Ambient but with a nice modern flavour and the sweet summer vibe of a Daydreamer as he gazes up to the sky watching the shapes that the clouds make high above.

 

4. Earth

The pace comes right down to Earth with Earth. No beats in the first half just light sounds wafting through the air like they are being carried on a soft breeze and when beats do gradually appear they are sparse beats that sound like hollow wood being hit by more hollow wood and echoing around a forest clearing. All the sounds again are pristine; I can imagine these sounds being used on the road to whatever Paradise is natural, bright and so very summery.

 

5. Somewhere Not Here

Right from the start of this track I get goosebumps all over the upper part of my body. There is something about the intro with its deep but subtle rumbling bass & sharp light sounds like alien wildlife that just sends a lush chill down my spine. This is definitely the most ambient of the tracks so far with no hint of rhythm & would fit in quite well with a lot of Ishq tracks, for me this goes well will the album Orchid but manages to not sound like it is copying but more like a complimentary track with its own distinct flavour.

 

6. Lotus Dancing

The intro is a sublime oscillating sound with some surprisingly dark bass and a lot of sharp acidic synth sounds. The result is surprisingly warm despite the dark bass and it has the feeling of a warm summer evening after the sun has gone down but the heat of the day is still warming the surroundings. Another very ambient track without any beats but the oscillations create a subtle rhythm that fits very well with the melody that gets stronger & stronger and seems to shift through from the left side of my head to the right and back again. It is very trippy stuff once again, a little like Ishq – Orchid but with a more ethereal feel to it by (very) subtle vocals that I am not even sure are real or just in my own head! Great Stuff.

 

7. The Mystic

This is a track that really lives up to its name. A very mystical track with hint of Himalayan sounds and melodies & at times it feels like I am listening to an extension of the Mystery Of The Yeti. The strange Himalayan instrument used in those great albums is also used here, I have no idea what it is called or even how it is played, to be honest I don’t really know if it is a Himalayan instrument but I get that vibe from it. In the second half the atmosphere changes like it is floating down the river through warmer climes, through rain forests and passed ruins of ancient civilisations. The longer the track goes, the closer it gets to the warm feeling of the other tracks like we were dumped in the mountains but found our way home.

 

8. Solace

Although the atmosphere & many of the sounds used in this track are very similar to the other tracks it still manages to have a life & character all of its own. The use of acoustic guitar more prominently in this track adds a kind of Riviera feel to the music like I am sat outside a restaurant by the sea listening to a local play nothing as I drink with my friends & chat about trivial matters. It is another ambient track lacking in beats and gives me a sense of beautiful freedom. It is the freedom from a stressful urban life, free from the rat race of life & free from worries, very much like a holiday in the sun.

 

9. In Samsara

This track is more orientated around the piano than previous tracks with the notes really coming to the forefront and the other sounds fading into the background more. When the piano stops it feels like the other sounds are rushing around in a calm collected manner around me like leaves caught in a very tame hurricane, spinning around and around but with me at the eye not experiencing any of the stress. All there is, is calm movement & when the piano comes in it is like everything stops & falls to the floor as if in respect for the melody.

 

10. Daydreamer

The final track & the title track is a return to a beat led track with all the summer vibes of the opening tracks with the rhythm that would let it be played at a beach party. It seems a little strange to have another beat orientated track at the end, after so many much more ambient ones but seeing as this possesses the same atmosphere from the rest of the album it seems natural when listening to the album as a whole. With the more upbeat nature it is a track that seems designed to make the listener want to repeat the album and with all of these beautiful sounds and lush melodies it is something I see a lot of people (myself included) doing time & time again.

[yehuda22]

1

[bwhale]

So boring I couldn't listen to it all.

[Trance2MoveU]

Loved it. bwhale, I don't think you can just listen to ambient, you have to be in the mood for it. But, that's why tastes are subjective.

 

Mdk

[Yard Hippie]

Listening to this for the first time now. Very nice crisp and chilled sounds, I'm a fan

[yerg]

Very well done album. Very chilled and minimalistic all the way. Melodies are tender and it's like patting on the back. I almost purred.

[Sawfly]

So boring I couldn't listen to it all.

[Oopie]

The sound texture itself is enjoyable, but the artist fails to bring emotion or harmony in melodies. There's a not whole lot to remember afterwards. It goes well as lounge music if you want something to create atmosphere in the background but don't actually want to listen to the music. Maybe it was never meant to sound soulful such as global communication or likes, but for me this album fails. Feel free to PM if you want to trade it from me.

[Melancholyman]

Great review, I have alot to learn from you