Search results: Aqua

Review: Out of the Blue is arguably a more personal collection than many of Phil Mison's previous compilations. It was inspired by his first few trips to the White Isle of Ibiza, and specifically the unlikely set of circumstances that led to him filling in for the legendary Jose Padilla at the Cafe Del Mar. Musically, the track list is reflective of the story, joining the dots between impossible-to-find rarities (see the loved-up jazz-rock of "Jelly" by the Cactus Rose Project and the life-affirming fusion business of Christoph Spendel Group's "Forever"), huggable Balearic synth-pop, flamenco-inspired sunset gems and a smattering of head-in-the-clouds Italian dream house gems. Given Mison's heritage and status within the Balearic scene, it's little surprise to find that Out of the Blue is utterly brilliant.

Review: Lawrence English's album Colours of Air on Kranky finds him hooking up with fellow composer loscil aka Scott Morgan. The pair find a perfect sweet spot between their respective backgrounds as they work up absorbing ambient sounds from a collection of recordings of a century-old pipe organ that lives in the Old Museum in Brisbane, Australia. The source recordings were then processed, transformed, and elevated into these absorbing soundscapes where timbre, spatial fluctuation and swelling drones all sweep you off your feet. It is a truly original and captivating piece of work.