Labels: Kranky
Review by: Captain Fidanza
This album was played entirely on an analog synthesizer the artist built himself, which would be impressive enough if the music itself were not so fantastic.
This is music for wide-open spaces, like the Los Angeles skyscape at the beginning of Bladerunner or that bit at the beginning of 2001 when there’s a wide shot of the earth before the dawn of man. Careful of that monolith though “” it has powers.
I’m aware that I reference Zeit by Tangerine Dream quite a lot in reviews of instrumental electronica, but only because for me it’s the definitive album of atmospheric, synthesized drone and although “Essays in Idleness” never quite achieves the majesty of Zeit, it does reach for its heights and provide what the notes refer to as “patient, sparkling melodies.”
Recommended completely.