Lucid Circles-Amir Baghiri, Brannan Lane
iuzker1o549ewwe | 05/06/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you close your eyes you will experience some nervous magic. German-based ambient maestro Baghiri and Dixieland sound sculptor Lane at first could seem an unlikely pair of composers - but the cultural infusion is fiery. The chimes and synths are coated in blissful bass and stimulating gradations of non-formulaic sparse harmonies. A constant tribal rhythm travels throughout creating the warmth of a live performance while these two travel deep into the nucleus of "Mystic Gardens" through "Vapor Drawings" and other "Rites of Passage." Brannan Lane's self-production is crystal clear, essential for anything this intimate. Voice samples, sequencers and various treatments allow the program to flow from track to track like a continuous adventure through a spatial plane. It has its own inherent sense of light and weight, very 3D and at the same time totally lucent. "Lucid Circles" is a spiritual, calm-before-the-storm placed with a cavernous sense of acoustic dimension, traveled only be science and dreamers. This multi-continental collaboration between Iran's Baghiri and Nashville-based Lane is a wonderous trip into tribal/ambient sound waters. These artists are masters of space; of organic tones and earthly atmospheres, and with 'Lucid Circles' they weave an impeccable web of subtle enveloping tones and deeply mysterious atmospheres. The percussive 'Feather Dance' adds didgeridoo and drums for a more aggressive direction, while the 14+ minute 'Mystic Gardens' utilizes the sounds of thunderstorms to add tension to the cavernesque ambience. With 'Lucid Circles', Baghiri and Lane craft music that functions equally as deep or background listening, and this world-class release comes wholeheartedly recommended."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
