HAROLD BUDD Vinyl & CDs

Review: By 2004, Harold Budd was a sufferer of chronic "no, really, this is my final album" syndrome; he had claimed Avalon Sutra as his artistic curtain call, which would reach its apotheotic height under the David Sylvian and his label Samadhisound. The reality was that Budd did go on to record many another album, including a Philip Glass tribute and a solo piano album, Perhaps (2007). But this, his intended retirement, was probably his most interesting. Florid neo-noir soundscapes - mured behind soft-saturated limits of sax and trellised piano - glean an unusual sense of a Lynchian underside to domesticity and normality. A soundtrack to a part-corrupted life, this "Arabesque" record transitions into utter serenity by the time of 'Little Heart', whose faint triangles and swelling pads nail an impure and contradictory sense of alterity, resignation and peace.

Review: The White Arcades ranks amongst one of Harold Budd's best loved solo works. The ambient pioneer and celebrated pianist is of course well known for his work with the likes of Brian Eno, but this 1988 album demonstrates how clear-sighted his approach became when he was recording on his own. There's a pristine quality to this kind of ambience which allows it to sink into any number of settings, but it's far from banal. The subtlety of Budd's composition and performance as the piano and synth lines enmesh is a marvel to behold, suggesting half-hidden mysteries waiting to be solved, but only when the time is right. If there was ever music to soothe a troubled mind, this would be it.

Review: The Pavilion Of Dreams was first conceived by Harold Budd in the early 1970s. He started writing an extended cycle of compositions that were produced by Brian Eno. Also appearing in the session were saxophonist Marion Brown and a pair of multi-instrumentalists in Gavin Bryars and Michael Nyman. The album was a cathartic one for Budd who said at the time that is "erased my past," and lead to a musical rebirth. "It was like my Magna Carta." It sure is a soothing listen, with heavenly ambient sounds, mellifluous chords and glowing harmonies all soothing the mind, body and soul as they gently unfold.

Review: Concurrent with their new collaboration Candylion, Darla now also reissue the last Harold Budd and Clive Wright album, A Song For Lost Blossoms, described by the label as a suite of ambient melody and "transcendental mood portals". Cobbled together from from intimate home sessions, as well as performances at Redcat in LA, and Clive Wright's Desert Sky Studio in Joshua Tree, these works span 2004 to 2006, and represent the finest moments in their collaboration, with Anna LaCazio lending her voice to the title track, reciting her original poem of the same name as the album's title. Budd, often hailed "The Godfather of Ambient Music," has shaped and shaken the genre's foundations, while Wright, a founding member of US pop rock band Cock Robin, brings a deep textural sensibility honed through work with artists like Tears for Fears and Peter Gabriel. The Southern California desert's vast stillness and surreal magnanimity resonate throughout, arresting the sound in an asperous expanse.

Review: Harold Budd and Clive Wright craft a rich new suite, standing well apart from their previous collaboration A Song for Lost Blossoms. More structured yet still full of surprises, this one ties instrumental delicacy - harp, strings, drums - round a striking sonic collage echoing traditional Japanese compositions, 60s British film music, and vestal Renaissance music motifs. Listeners familiar with Budd's work may find echoes of Avalon Sutra in its meditative, luminous quality. Wright - meanwhile known for his work with pop rockers Cock Robin, Tears for Fears and Peter Gabriel - presses "go" on an instrumental, textural refinery, him being the one-man factory. Recorded at Desert Sky Studio in Joshua Tree, the album features contributions from Patti Hood, George Zelenz, and Ray Woods, with cover art by Billy Al Bengston.

Review: The Moon and the Melodies, a remarkable collaboration between Cocteau Twins and ambient pioneer Harold Budd, remains a standout achievement in both artists' repertoires. First released in 1986, this enchanting album is now receiving a well-deserved vinyl reissue, meticulously remastered by Robin Guthrie from the original tapes. This album is a stunning fusion of the Cocteau Twins' signature dreamlike atmospheres with Budd's elegant, improvisational piano, resulting in a listening experience that is both expansive and deeply personal. The blending of Elizabeth Fraser's ethereal vocals, seamlessly intertwined with Guthrie's luminous guitar work and Raymonde's resonant bass, creates a sound that is both distinct and evocative. The album effortlessly balances vocal tracks with instrumentals, each adding to its rich and diverse sonic palette. This reissue offers a chance to rediscover a defining moment in the evolution of dream pop and ambient music. The Moon and the Melodies continues to stun audiences. This CD edition is the perfect vehicle to an ethereal beauty of the highest order.

Review: The Moon and the Melodies, a collaboration between Cocteau Twins and ambient pioneer Harold Budd, stands as a unique gem in both artists' discographies. Originally released in 1986, this ethereal album is now being reissued on vinyl, remastered from the original tapes by Robin Guthrie. Unlike anything else the Cocteau Twins ever produced, this record blends their dreamlike soundscapes with Budd's serene, improvisational piano work. The result is an atmospheric journey, at once intimate and expansive. Tracks like 'Sea, Swallow Me' shine with Elizabeth Fraser's otherworldly vocals, intertwined with Guthrie's shimmering guitar and Raymonde's grounding bass, creating a sound that feels both familiar and entirely unique. Instrumentals like 'Memory Gongs' and 'The Ghost Has No Home' highlight Budd's delicate piano, enhanced by the band's signature ambient textures. The album is a study in contrasts, vocal tracks sit alongside instrumentals, each contributing to a cohesive yet diverse listening experience. For fans, this reissue is a chance to revisit a pivotal moment in the evolution of dream pop and ambient music. The album's enduring appeal is evident in its continued influence in social media. The Moon and the Melodies remains a shining light that can happen when artists from different realms come together to create something truly timeless.