There is a contrast between these styles, you can isolate them or you can blend them, or neither. Each of these two artists makes interesting sounds that convey essences, emotions and new ideas, in very different ways.
A showcase of interesting sound fragments
Two very different approaches to the creation of sounds, Emba is ambient and experimental (in a granular sound collage drone-like way) while The New Honey Shade has a beat and a love of melodics, with keyboards and sequencers, classic electronica. The combination is interesting because you go into two different places, both are easily within the celebrated territory of interesting—certain odd things to listen to. It is a big territory.
The Handstitched* split-artist release series features limited-edition issues that are released on both mini CD and C45 cassette and focus on two artists—limited to 50 copies per release. Each of the formats have hand-crafted packaging, unique, hand-printed covers for the CD and hand-made cassette sleeves for the pro-dubbed tapes. The tape version comes in Ocean Blue tapes and is cased in a hand-made cotton rag O-card, and printed with designs from the original artworks—hand-numbered and packed in cello bags. The CD-r version is made from sustainable FSC manila covers and features acrylic painted artworks, each one individual and unique, hand-bound gatefold covers, printed track-listing inserts, hand-stamped CDs and packed in glassine, acid-free bags.
Two artists, one release, the first is four tracks written, recorded and arranged by Emba, 2021 a collaborative project, physically in Lévis, Canada and Cambridgeshire, UK. This is a splendid sound collage and ambient adventure. Electronic atmospheres, depth, a showcase of interesting sound fragments which create a mood or soundtrack that allows you to bring on your own imagineering. There are very few clues and most of them are sounds, you must figure it out. Or not. I hear little odd one-of-a-kind noises or events, extracted from field recordings, that sort of pop up and flow together as one single composition. Each track has a flavor that makes it easy to distinguish. It flows continuously while the contents change constantly.
A splendid sound collage and ambient adventure ::
Dark distant machines ring, “Cinq” (3:52) brings the tenebrous textures and sound bits that sparkle, very small bits being shaken in darkness, somewhere in there I sometimes hear bells and other metallic percussion. The second track, “Kamotiq” (6:38), slides in with no transition, into a new atmosphere that brightens up and elevates the new discoveries, there are lots of delicate slivers of sampled orchestral instruments and whatnot, woven into the fabric we hear. The same momentum continues from the first track, now I feel the mysteries of the dark with an imagined distant flashlight. “Qigong” (2:29). There is, by the same name, a life-energy exercise system based on posture, movement, breathing and meditation. This track evolves into a pulsing binary slow beat, sometimes sort of puzzling and tedious but then such just might be part of the intended lesson.
Track 4 “Tranq” (9:04) is a rich flowing drone-driven soup of chunky sound effects arranged into a sequence, we visit lots of locations and are exposed to legends (non-verbal) that merge the lands of other times and distances. Okay, this is my fave, it’s like being locked in a haunted house in a cave somewhere way out there, with all this to ponder and ask again, just what is going on? The next time it will sound differently, other features will emerge.
CD2— Artist: The New Honey Shade; Title: NEXUS ::
It is only natural to contrast this with the previous collage-drone work of the split format partner, pairing two artistic forces invites comparisons. You could compare them, or not. The two artistic products are very different in many ways, each from the other in fact making the single shared release here. The nine New Honey Shade tracks opens with a number titled “Time Reversal Through The Crystal” that features neo-melodic interesting beats and pulses, with other inventions. OH NO WE’RE STOPPING, or maybe not, track one, “TRTTC (Intro)” (0:56) sparkles in and then immediately falls apart. It slows down dramatically, the notes get longer and sink into oblivion. Then it really begins. “Time Reversal Through The Crystal” (3:28) has a melodic flow, a pulsing arpeggiating form populated with musical crystal tones in motion. What I like about this is, if listening to this makes me a time traveler I do not feel any differently than I was before I had the time travel experience, that I can remember.
Rapid collages and melodic keyboard flickers ::
There are patterns that move around, beats that carry and a strange range of alien singers making interesting sounds, “Semantic Priming” (3:51) flows along telling its story that ventures into some distant (never before encountered) territories. Next, “Oganesson” (1:50), a tricky percussion based tune that morphs right along, bringing in various international flavors. There could be dancing or motion, or not. The groove is refreshing. Track 5, “Nexus III” (1:20), brings a keyboard’s arpeggiator patterns, somewhat distorted and all wiggly on the edges as the melodic progression repeats and evolves. This next track might take place in a dark room with colored lights flashing and matching the beat, “System 100” (1:27) is based on a drum-like sound with synth, spinning a melodic groove. Transitional throbbing, “Taaffeite” (0:36); “Black Opal” (1:56) opening slowly to reveal nested essences. A door of some kind swings open and a new electronic adventure commences.
“Portal” (6:23) is the longest statement, swirling arpeggiation elevates the final offering here. Put the two segments together, you have two completely different experiences, rapid collages and melodic keyboard flickers. There is a contrast between these styles, you can isolate them or you can blend them, or neither. Each of these two artists makes interesting sounds that convey essences, emotions and new ideas, in very different ways.
Cinq / NEXUS is available on Handstiched*. [Bandcamp]
