There has been much talk over the last couple of years of an “ambient revival”. It’s true that the volume of ambient releases has increased exponentially in recent times, with producers spotting an increased audience for worthy, academic experimentalism and dreamy, space-obsessed gear that pays tribute to the style’s early ‘90s boom. Arguably of more interest, though, are those that mine the fringes of the early ‘90s sound, which joined the dots between the spacier end of Detroit techno, new age synth music, Larry Heard deepness, Pete Namlook’s horizontal explorations and the so-called “intelligent tecno” of B12, Jonah Sharp, and The Black Dog. Throw in the ambient house/techno hybrids pushed by Japanese producers such as Yuji Takenouchi, and you have a rich melting pot of rich, evocative, otherworldly influences to explore.
The latest album from the Hamburg hardware veteran is a trip into more experimental territory.