Release of the Month: October Picks

Release Of The Month: October 2010

The Silent Ballet staff counts down its top picks of October.

One album was written in isolation. Another addresses an impending extinction. A third hails from an artist whose very name connotes the preservation of artifacts. The fourth was made by a trio of dinosaurs. What do these releases have in common? They all look to the past for inspiration, but are not mired in it. Strië emerges from her seclusion; Brian McBride offers hope for the bees; Library Tapes combines technologies old and new; and The Orb and David Gilmour defy expectations by continuing to plow forward.

Many philosophers believe that there are no new ideas, only combinations, modifications and mutations of the old. But this theory is purely reactionary. A generation ago, none of these albums were conceivable. And yet today, they rank among our favorites. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that new ideas do exist; they just take a while to develop. If these current artists stand on the shoulders of giants (with the exception of David Gilmour, who stands on himself), then one day they may be considered giants themselves.

1) Strië ~ Sléptis

Soundscaping
Iden Reinhart lives in a house at the end of the world. Former colleagues ask, “Whatever happened to her?” And yet, none have gone looking; at least, none of any pattern or texture. Those who speak in cliché vanish before they reach her forest. And so she waits quietly for the one from whom she withdrew. Cat knows all this, and provides cool companionship; but beneath Cat’s sleek shine may hide an ulterior motive. If not, wouldn’t Iden already know about the doorway beneath the litter box? (Richard Allen)

2) Brian McBride ~ The Effective Disconnect

Kranky
Brian McBride, one half of the Austin ambient duo Stars of the Lid, has released a new solo album. This little sentence might be enough by itself to convince many fans to check out The Effective Disconnect. But many potential listeners will probably be wondering the same question: how does this compare to McBride’s regular gig? Well, there’s no escaping the fact that Brian McBride’s new solo album sounds a lot like a new Stars of the Lid album. But that’s not a bad thing; The Effective Disconnect is a solid progression, exploring the sonic territory that we might expect for SotL to conquer after 2007’s brilliant work. Divorced from any question of context, a simple truth remains: this is quite possibly the best ambient album of the year. (Tom Butcher)

3) Library Tapes ~ Like green grass against a blue sky

Auetic
It may be two years since Sweden’s Library Tapes last released a new album, but the man behind the project has been plenty busy. David Wenngren has continued to release music of high quality, each distinct yet revolving around the same star. 2009 saw his debut album under his own name, as well as that of Le Lendemain, his excellent collaboration with cellist Danny Norbury. And recently, the duo of Murralin Lane released Our House is on the Wall, a beautiful moody drone-n-vocal driven debut. Wenngren’s latest album sounds not unlike its faded out cover, its piano compositions augmented with wonderful field-recordings and minimal tinkering, atmospheric flourishes and glitches. Due to his great, yet subtle talent, his compositions manage to sound worn and melancholic, yet simultaneously joyful and alive. (Joseph Sannicandro)

4) The Orb featuring David Gilmour ~ Metallic Spheres

Columbia Records
What happens when one of the most iconic guitarists in history pairs up with one of the most consistent electronica acts of the past twenty years? An album of gorgeous psychedelia and spaciness that will please both older seventies prog fans and younger experimental music fans. Fans of both acts might have been worried about the prospect of Gilmour’s signature riffs and solos being combined with The Orb’s ambient techno beats and relaxing soundscapes, but the collaboration yields great results. In fact, it even sounds more like The Sky Moves Sideways-era Porcupine Tree than either act’s independent efforts. Metallic Spheres serves as a perfect companion for a long walk at night or simply for a break from the hassle of everyday life. (Mohammed Ashraf)