Mick Harris & Ambre - Dys (2001)

The third and final part of Hushush's threesome-series pairs up Mick Harris and Ambre.

Going to work in his Birmingham studio, Mick Harris started reworking the samples provided by the Belgian trio into five ambient soundscapes very reminiscent of his more experimental work with Lull.

Abandoning the usual methods and rules of traditional music, Harris dishes out a main course of abstract audio soup consisting of minimal drones, hissing pops and crackling clicks whisked together with a few layers of atmospheric ambience.

Dys is easily the most abstract of the threesome-series, making it the hardest to digest for the uninitiated listener. The seemingly structureless pieces offer very little to grab on to, and the cut-up and rather hectic atmosphere remind me of the Eraserhead-soundtrack at times.

48 minutes of experimental sound collages for the mind-bending surrealists out there. Although the album may feel a bit challenging or "out there" at first, it's definitely worth a few repeated listens. Enjoy!

Download part 1 | part 2
(95+09MB/320CBR)

Ambre & Mark Spybey - Sfumato (2000)

Sfumato is one of the four canonical painting modes of the Renaissance, a technique that involves blurring of sharp outlines or creating a sense of movement through gradually blending tones into another.

While the Mona Lisa is the best known example of the aforementioned technique in painting, our undivided attention is aimed towards this audial equivalent, the first of a three-part subscription series that was released on Hushush Records.

The first part throws together Ambre, a joint electro-acoustic and ambient project featuring Olivier Moreau, John Sellekaers and C-drík, with Mark Spybey, a man known for his work with Dead Voices On Air, Zoviet France and Spasm.

The collabration was performed via mail. Spybey sent tapes of raw source sounds to Ambre in Belgium, who then embarked on a two-week recording session to De Haan in September 1999.

The main bulk of the music consists of deep drones, field recordings, found sounds and a multitude of ambient atmospheres. Most of the material is very minimal and abstract, with enough gradual and subtle movements in the soundscapes to keep the listener on their toes. Droning, throbbing and pulsating with life, Ambre really did a fantastic job with Spybey's source materials and fleshed this collabration to life.

This album should easily appeal to most people interested in minimalist electro-acoustic soundscapes, ambient and noise. This album is best enjoyed from start to finish, so equip yourself with some good headphones, kick back and dive into these fourteen pieces filled with pleasant surprises. Enjoy!

Download part 1 | part 2
(95+27MB/320CBR)