Referencing ancient Celts and Norsemen and the Hermetic chemistry from our past and the sun—and moonlight from above, Lee Anthony Norris and Porya Hatami embark on their second ambient collaboration, the former working in northern Italy, the latter from his usual base in north Iranian Kurdistan.
Norris turns up in a plethora of guises and has a history of impeccable collaborations, with the likes of Matt Hiller (Ishq) and Dimitar Dodovski, with whom he becomes Moss Garden. Hatami’s recording career only stretches back to 2012, but he has already established himself as a subtle, innovative soundscaper who grows with each new release.
The Longing Daylight is long and sustained in each of its five vigils, standing in one spot at a time, for seven, eight, nine minutes, taking in the lay of the land and committing it to memory. After the smooth pouring of “Druid Liquid,” the duo conjure something of the spirit of Harold Budd at his warm Californian piano in the chill Scandinavian air of “Rune Stoned,” glowing golden on “Alchemy,” which epitomizes the composer’s recommendation, “Keep your focus very narrow: just this and nothing more, and make that absolutely exquisite.”
As the album tracks further, “The Longing Daylight” seeks the receptive flesh of men, flora and fauna, until closing with “Moon,” perfectly attainable despite the surly bonds of gravity through the gaze they cast upon it. Absolutely exquisite.
The Longing Daylight is available on Carpe Sonum.
