Release title: Mechanics Of Silence

Release title: Mechanics Of Silence Format: Compilation / Digital Download Style: Drone Dark Ambient Electronic Duration: 11 Tracks / 76 min. Release Date: 14 April 2011 Released by: Essentia Mundi label Abstract Following suggestions from fellow artists (special thanks to Keith / The Drive To Uqbar) we concluded that there is maybe a way we can help Japan. Initially not planed so soon this year, the second Essentia Mundi compilation found its honest predestination now. All the profits from the sales of it will go for Red Cross Japan. Rationale The theme chosen is around the concept of “silence.” The compilation is meant an eulogy to silence, simplicity and minimalism. A release intended to strip down the unnecessary, the reduction to a kind of ‘essentials', to capture through introspection, abstraction and decontextualization methods an eerie feeling of tranquility. The style of the music is drone, ambient electronic, minimal compositions, a bit experimental, a bit dark. Music includes fieldrecordings, electroacoustic even some world music elements (Japan) and noises, it is not aggressive in expression, nor it is ‘happy' music. Of course there is a way to donate here, here, here and here without being necessary to buy something in first place. But still, from our point of view, the synergy of such an effort in which all our energy concentrates in the compilation can move something more in people, and sensibilise more. Join our efforts, buy and enjoy the compilation here: dw066 - oVdk & Bunk Data - Discourse of the Other IkEcht - Songsoverruins (c) 2010 The Japanese artist Ryu has published music on the net label Dark Winter already under different guises. I straddled the fence on the last release and remained neutral. This time he cooperates with Bunk Data / label boss Nathan Larson under the guise of oVdk. The former has a similar history of abract music and soundscapes and I was reasonably enthusiasic about his latest work. Seeing that the theme of this album is "Discourse Of The Other", it should come as no surprise that distorted vocals, singing, and ghostly snippets of conversations have again been mixed into the music. The first three songs form a shimmering and ever-shifting soundscape of drones and dark ambient. The last two songs also fall in this category. So far so good, but what really got me going was the addition of ethnic influences on "Why Not Sneeze Kangrinboqe?" and "Flight Of The Yameil Jyuravli". Those familiar with the work of Ulf Söderberg / Sephiroth or the artists on the Finnish label Aural Hypnox will know how effective this can be. The first mentioned track delivers dark soundscapes that border on the chaotic and unnerving due to samples of Asian rituals (unfortunately I am unable pinpoint it much more exactly geographically) and blaring outbursts of traditional horns. But my personal favourite is "Flight Of The Yameil Jyuravli" that quickly weaves itself around hypnotic (Tuvan?) throat sining and possesses a slow, repetitive structure that manages to be both utterly dark and oddly ethereal. As far as I'm concerned, this is really where oVdk and Bunk Data shine and produce a track of unsurpassed beauty. "Discourse Of The Other" has become a successful exercise in otherwordly soundscapes and I would recommend it on the power of the hypnotic "Flight Of The Yameil Jyuravli" alone. Originally written for the Dutch weblog IkEcht (http://ikecht.web-log.nl/ikecht/), English translation by the author.