35 years ago, Norwegian maestro of experimental and ambient Erik Wøllo announced his fourth album. The prolific musician known for the intimate sentiment he pours into his productions, acquired and swiftly mastered the latest MIDI technology available at the time.
Intertwining cutting edge electronics with the famed Roland MSQ700 plus a rack of multifarious synths and modules, he decided to forego multitrack tape and mix down to a two track analog tape. His quirky methods combined flawlessly to create ‘Silver Beach‘, an iconic record that unequivocally portrayed the skills of an envelope pushing genius. Cut to the near present and the much-sought after record unsurprisingly became expensive and hard to obtain…..this is the way!
Thankfully for us Joni and Guillermo at Abstrakce Records – an exploratory sub-label of the renowned B.F.E Records based in Valencia – have done (a) God’s work and finally given the waiting world this expanded edition release of the original LP. Containing seventeen gorgeous tracks steeped in viscous emotion and unbounded depth, the nostalgic sound design clinically abridges the varied gaps between European experimental composition eras.
Our focal point is ‘Dead Eyed Drums‘, a haunting yet enchanting piece that drudges and toils like a procrastinating traveler, perpetually weary from plodding the oases of his lucid dreams. Led by an enchanting flute and percolating tribal percussion, the track transforms into a graceful but brooding specimen underpinned by refracted keys and twinkling synths.
Somehow even fresher than the day it was first released, ‘Silver Beach‘ sits pretty in the upper echelons of contemporary ambient experimentation. Wøllo’s alluring journey is yours to undertake, and odds are it will suit your mood to a T – whatever your musical inclination.
‘Silver Beach’ is scheduled for release 12 March via Abstrakce Records. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
A1. Four
A2. Panorama
A3. The Open Room
A4. Journey
B1. The Emeralds
B2. CrystalIce
B3. Dark Eyed Drums
B4. Silver Beach
C1. Little Big Tune
C2. Recitation
C3. Mountain Train
C4. Aural Light
C5. Chime
D1. Sequenza
D2. Amiga
D3. Lakeside 03:45
D4. The Wintergarden Ethereal