Search - Various Artists :: Pop Ambient 2006

An overview of the Pop Ambient Series....

fetish_2000 | U.K. | 05/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The label "Kompakt" label has been long since well known for it's output of Electronica/Techno, decided in the latter-half of 2000 to release a compilation that showcase not only the broad range of artists on the label (with a few artists licensed to appear on some volumes) , but a chance to compile some of the more subdued, delicate, restrained & intimate nature of the featured artists work. In this case "Ambient techno" with a decidedly accessible and unassuming slant (hence the "Pop Ambient" tag). Following the success of the release of the first "Ambient 2001" edition, every successive year has seen a new release (the most recent volume being "Pop Ambient 2007).



For any preconception of harsh, thumping, or even groove based music when the term "Ambient Techno" is used to describe the general overall genre of these volumes, you have to bear in mind. What each Pop Ambient series deals almost exclusively in, is that tracks don't concern themselves hard edged beats, or driving percussion, and reverberating basslines. And instead focus more, on directionless modal harmonies, and emphasizing densely layered, highly nuanced, and meticulously arranged ambient soundscapes. Which can on one track veers more towards soft gentle swirling synth tones and glistening piano-like melodies, and another track can feature a pastoral guitar strum, with looped piano chords and a sublime mix of bouncy rhythm, and light soundscapes. And other tracks can be dreamy glitch-lite tracks, with the sort of atmospheric drone-like twinkly/crackly shadings, full of radiant, gorgeously low-lit sound. And then have the following track deal an unhurried minimal percussion, working well alongside ethereal, woozy synths

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Pop Ambient compilations seem to take in a multitude of influences..ranging from: Dub/ Ambient / Techno / Electronica / Glitch/ Electro-house & Soundscape music are all touched upon, explored and interpreted, crossed-referenced in a way that the sound & textures are absolutely compelling, yet the simplicity of the arrangements give this it `Pop' feel. It's not an series of compilations that is there to immediately impress, as it's far too considered and delicate in its approach to have an immediate effect. The spare twinkles of guitar and humming drones, and minimal undulating bass certainly wont have your friends begging you to sell your copy, but taken on it's own terms, and listened to without outside interruption, it's a series of albums that eventually win you over with a vast array of soft thrums, subtle rhythmic structures, meditative pieces, or melodic simple softly fading distant tunes, poignant moods and fractured sounds that skilfully blend deep, granular sound design, with the 4-bar rhythmic intensity, mixed with spare late-night introspective sound of diverting vamps, working alongside tracks which feature nearly imperceptible sparse polyrhythms, in a way that relax in a totally disconcerting manner.



The revolving door approach to each of the releases, ensures that although there is a certain musical aesthetic that each edition of these compilation works and adheres to. The rotation of different artists does give the series new material to work with (although some artist works, do feature throughout the series). I have all the volumes in the series so far (2001 - 2007), and I do find that they're all relatively similar in a lot of aspects, and thus relatively interchangeable. And everyone will probably have their favourite volumes (although a lot of people consider volumes 2002 / 2003 to be the finest volumes), you could probably pick up any one in the series, and have a relatively reasonable idea of what to expect from the other volumes. And for those with a passing interest in this series, then there's probably no way that you really need to buy all volumes...but for me personally, each volume works so beautifully in a downtempo and chilled environment, that for me....I found that each volume worked perfectly for late-nights at home, when the music needs to be low, or just when you fancy listening to something electronic/electronica, but without any driving progression, and just something that locks you into a particular mindset (solitude, introspection, reading, working on the computer, etc...) but I found that the sophisticated, yet relaxed music worked so for well for me, that I ended up grabbing each volume, and never regretting each purchase.



This is probably not something I'd recommend to every one, as there'll be those that are expecting something eclectic, and progressive, and maybe even something that musically takes them places...and those people will be disappointed, with this purchase. Also, there will be some like ambient music, but find the whole exercise (primarily because of the "Pop" tag), a little too accessible and electronic-influenced to really engage. That's fine!!, as this was probably never complied with you in mind. Admittedly this is a series of volumes that takes you nowhere fast.....'But wasn't that the point of Downtempo/Chillout music in the first place??'.

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