Zen Lu :: River (Etalabel)

Zen Lu demonstrates a growing interest to the sonic realms of complex sound textures, also bringing to the fore a corpus of stylistically compelling emotive melodies.

Zen Lu is a young sound designer and musical alchemist from China. His work consists of tonal ambient minimalist soundscapes, subtly connected to spiritual aspects of life through the movement of time, mind introspection and dreamlike estate. After a handful of collaborative releases and live performances he publishes what we can consider to be his fist full-length release under his own name. Simply entitled River, this album is signed on the independent Polish Etalabel—an interesting edition perspective which includes craft-based electronic digital music with a taste for cinematic impressionist-like aesthetics. In this new album Zen Lu demonstrates a growing interest to the sonic realms of complex sound textures, also bringing to the fore a corpus of stylistically compelling emotive melodies. Most of these ambient pieces are colorful, creatively relaxing, made of long breathy droning chords punctuated by a vast arsenal of field recordings / processed micro sounds. A major work which admits musical qualities similar to elegantly hypnotic timbral electronic orchestrations of Andrew Chalk, Svarte Greiner and to the ritualized static explorations of early minimalist composers (Terry Riley, Pauline Oliveros et al). A formidable dream-pop ambient record within a deeply contemplative minimalist mode. Definitely recommended with the new Virlyn, also published on Etalabel.

River is available on Etalabel. [Release page]