Ludvig Cimbrelius & Yellow6 :: Double review (Sound in Silence)

All eight pieces on Ludvig Cimbrelius’ Love Letters From The Sky are delicate and vulnerable pieces of music as Yellow6 provides atmospheric music taking its time to play on A Change In The Weather.

The perfect soundtrack(s) for the early morning

Ludvig Cimbrelius :: Love Letters From The Sky — Because Yellow6 is a known quality and quantity, I decided to start with Ludvig Cimbrelius. Previously he released two albums on Sound in Silence, both of which I didn’t hear. Cimbrelius is from Sweden and released music on Silent Season, Dewtone Recordings, Archives, and A Strangely Isolated Place. He has various aliases for different musical interests (ambient, modern classical, minimal dub techno), such as Eternell, Purl, and Illuivia. Cimbrelius plays some very ambient music in which the piano is the main instrument. Tuneful pieces, or pieces full of tunes, even when they are all very slow. Around these tunes are sparse electronics treatments, mainly some reverb treatments and some sparse synthesizers imitating some airy sounds. I am inclined to think that Cimbrelius uses various pianos from different locations and mixes these. Sometimes a piano has a very open and direct sound, but within a piece, there is also a slightly muted piano playing in the background. All eight pieces are delicate and vulnerable pieces of music. Music without any danger, music for a mild spring day (which it ain’t today) and music getting close to the dreaded (by me) world of new age music. But I give the benefit of the doubt. This is the perfect soundtrack for the early morning; my favorite time of the day to play ambient music with a capital A.

Yellow6 :: A Change In The Weather — Jon Attwood has worked as Yellow6 since 1998 and has released many records. Early in his career, I heard a few, but in recent years I only hear the ones that Sound In Silence releases. A Change In The Weather is already his fifth album for the label. Attwood played guitar and sound effects and switched off his drum machines for good. I quite enjoy this new approach from him. As such, this new album is the perfect follow-up to The Cloud Factory, also a weather-like theme. Gentle and minimal, the dreaded new age is far away, not even on the horizon. There is still a mild rock-like sound to be noticed in this music. Attwood strums and plucks away, creating melodies that swim in gentle drones. Raindrops and snowflakes are the images I see when I hear the music. Clouds pass on a windy day in autumn, but not today, as the clouds aren’t moving. Atmospheric music and throughout, Yellow6 takes its time to play these tunes. Two pieces clock in well over ten minutes, but the other also takes its time. A lonely sound, perhaps, yet nothing depressing. This music is made for contemplation. What more can one say about this? Another damn fine album by Yellow6.

Review by: Frans de Waard / Vital Weekly #1357. Reprinted with permission.

Love Letters From The Sky and A Change In The Weather are both available on Sound in Silence.