This is Part 1 of the Toytronic Records 3D Concepts trilogy, a wonderful EP by Miles Tilmann. This is something of a departure for Toytronic: a series of three overtly ambient, textural records devoid of the trademark crunchy, grittiness of much of their previous output. It’s quite possible that it may not be popular with Toytronic fans, but all three releases are excellent, this first part being a prime example of delicately constructed and textured ambience.
Swept Away in the Middle Fields ::
Tilmann has certainly managed to do justice to the 3D Concepts title here. It took considerable time before listening to the whole of this EP because the opening track – “Middle Fields,” is so breathtakingly beautiful that it to be repeated many, many times over before even considered moving on to the others. Easily the equal of the finest works of many of ambient music’s key musicians like Brian Eno or Biosphere, “Middle Fields” is an exquisite ambient drones piece. A pity, then that unlike some of Eno’s work (“Thursday Afternoon,” “Neroli”) this doesn’t receive the epic length treatment because, at 4’53” in length, it’s at least 30 minutes too short. (“Middle Fields”) features an ingeniously simple and drawn-out three-note melody that stretches across almost the entire duration of the track in the form of a high-pitched whistling that sings quietly in the background. It is this melody that really lifts “Middle Fields” into classic territory, as it keeps the track shifting sedately, drawing the listener further into it’s dense environment. This track works best at relatively high volume through loudspeakers as it aurally transforms your listening environment. It may not be the most overly-complex of drones, but it’s certainly one of the most atmospheric; it’s dynamism stemming from the wavering quality of its most prominent washes, the aforementioned melody and its ability to fill-up the listening space. Listening to “Middle Fields” is like surveying a wind-swept alien landscape from the peak of it’s highest mountain.
The Aquatic Journey of the Big Swim ::
“The Big Swim” follows and, true to it’s title, is a beautifully warm, aquatic journey featuring a faster-paced, subtle, throbbing bass-pulse beneath a chiming melody. The highlight of the reverse has to be “Smallest Flame,” another ambient piece where the drone is used to create the melody. Less epic in its scope than “Middle Fields,” “Smallest Flame” is a majestic, understated, melancholy, restful piece.
As an added bonus, Toytronic have released this 12″ on gorgeous starburst-effect marbled purple vinyl. The pressing is, like the other Toytronic colored 12s, immaculate. Toytronic originally announced that all three of the 3D Concepts series would be compiled onto a double CD release to be put out at the same time as the third and final part by Low Profile Society. The Low Profile Society LP has now been released on marbled blue vinyl but as yet there are no signs of the CD.
3D Concepts, Part 1, (probably the best of the three), is the ideal way to transform your surroundings into a beautiful trek through alien worlds and is some of the most delicately sculpted ambient music I have heard in some time. You can listen to full versions of “Middle Fields” and “Particle 3” on the Miles Tilmann website.
