Tranquility To Help You Thaw Out
3.10.14 by Ian Franklin

If you’re anything like me, the past few months have been tough ones.  It’s been a long winter.  Here in Delaware, the third highest snowfall totals ever recorded have helped keep this season packed in tight among the icy snow dunes and hibernating in the arctic chill.  But fear not! The good people at Tranquility Tapes know our burdens and have heard our cries for help, dropping a fresh new batch of winter warmers to carry you through the last fleeting dregs of Jack Frost’s icy grip.

First up is Andreas Brandal’s new offering “Hidden Rooms”, a heavy dose C40 of shifting synth and guitar textures combining acoustic and electric sources along with terrific effects processing.  Producing a really well-balanced and varied total, these tracks flow along with assured direction, seamlessly blending in electronic timbral changes that enhance the ever moving ebb and flow.  Incredibly strong release from this ambient veteran.

Up next is Glass House’s “Keeping To The Void” C44, the group’s first solo exploration for Tranquility after a split last year with Even The Dew Is Porous.  I honestly don’t know if this is a group or a single person project, but I’m assuming it’s a group because the depth and scope of these tracks are larger than I would expect one person to bring forth.  Huge flowing curtains of resonating synth cascade over endless lapis colored oceans, shimmering brilliant in the afternoon setting sun.  Beautifully transcendent channels of open expanse.

Halfway thawed out, we arrive at the next release with Bedroom’s new C44 “Shade & System”, this synth explorer’s 4th release for Tranquillity.  Brimming over with evolving analog synth shimmer and drift, these pieces unfold and reflect like gleaming prisms illuminating a dark room.  Added to the mix are wonderfully interspersed vocal elements, arpeggiated flourishes, and moments of focused percussion, giving full 3d life to these blissed out sonic journeys.

Last, but certainly not least, a self titled C91 from Cask, a group made up of UK all stars in the ambient/drone dimension: Chris Gowers (of Signals, and Rome Pays Off), Alex Smalley and Simon Bainton (both in Pausal, as well as extensive solo careers), and Katie English (Isnaj Dui).  Right off the bat you know this one is going to be good, and lemme tell you, it doesn’t disappoint.  Over a huge amount of material, these 4 musicians weave a brilliant tapestry of gorgeous color and texture,  producing ultimately sublime drone which blooms into the brightest radiance.   Begging repeated listens to grasp the full scope, these tracks glow and radiate like massive boulders that have soaked up a day of bright sunlight, retaining their bright glow through the advance of the dark and chilly night.

But the morning will come.  And the sun will rise and rise again till a new season takes it’s hold.  Luckily we’ll have these auditory harbingers to help us see our way through.  Stream selections from all four releases below, and watch a short preview clip for Glass House’s release, and look for all of these on sale from Tranquility tomorrow (Tuesday, March 11th).

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