Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
This is going to be so awesome!!!!!!!
Of the samples I've heard, I think so far I like the opening track "The Wheel of Life" the most. So peaceful.
The bass drone in "Supercontinents" is nicely done.
cannot wait
Of the samples I've heard, I think so far I like the opening track "The Wheel of Life" the most. So peaceful.
The bass drone in "Supercontinents" is nicely done.
cannot wait
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Bonus track "Plough"? ...
Comments data: BONUS TRACK FREE WHEN DOWNLOADED FROM FSOLDIGITAL.COM
Comments data: BONUS TRACK FREE WHEN DOWNLOADED FROM FSOLDIGITAL.COM
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
So for those of us who've bought the CD, we're going to have to pay £7 for the bonus track. Fuck that. Thanks guys. :/
Got back to my flat on Saturday and found my copy waiting for me, excitingly. Had a chance to listen to it quite a few times. I'm going to attempt a track-by-track, but it's not really a 'track'y album so this is quite hard to do actually...
The Wheel of Life - really, really fucking beautiful incredible wonderful uplifting organic ambient collage stuff. Lots of instrumentation and synth ambience and field recordings. No proper words for this. One of the best things they've ever done. Amazing.
No Man's Land - reminds me a little of Newfoundland from E2, a bit darker, really nice ambient interlude. Lovely stuff. 34:45-36:00 of EBS7.
River Delta - ups the tempo at the right point here. Really dramatic, dark, beautiful ambient breaks piece, slightly new agey vocal samples.
Supercontinents - more ambient collagey stuff, much more intense sounding though. Sounds like a continuation of River Delta. Nice electronic sounds at the end.
Sediment - continues in the ambient collage vein, but more acoustic again. Sitar drone in the background. So far this all sounds like it's got elements of Amorphousy stuff in it somewhere, none of the digital coldness that was found on some of Environments 3.
Architektur - the pace picks up again at this point, another quite intense track. I like this one a lot, sounds like a modern take on their mid 90s era. Has a nice unconnected bit at the end that builds into the next track, reminds me of the seguing sections on Dead Cities in that way.
Murmurations - I'd say this fits in much better than I expected it to (partially as it keeps up the pace of the previous track), but I still don't understand why it was chosen as a FSOL track rather than an Amorphous one. It's grown on me since I first heard it, and it's incredibly catchy, but I'd say it's a minute or two too long - doesn't do enough to warrant six minutes. Another atmospheric outro.
Sunsets - 33:27-34:45 on EBS7 is the intro to this one, then in come some slow beats and organ stuff, more piano playing (Pemberton I'd imagine), and even something resembling a synth solo (tasteful, don't worry). Incredibly sad, beautiful sounding stuff here, a definite highlight of the record.
Photosynthesis - more ambient collage stuff, the gulls from Sense of Being return alongside some waves hitting the seashore and some soft, subtle synths. Simple but effective. Very pretty.
Stand a little less between me and the sun - short, beautiful guitar interlude piece (with, again, collagey ambient backing), works in the same way The Oldest Lady did on E3, as I guessed.
Fibrilation - reminds me a lot of the Heads of Agreement stuff, stuttered synths, strange samples used as percussion, various samples coming in and out. Quite abstract and relatively static. This is another that doesn't really require such a long runtime, would work nicely at 3 minutes rather than 5 I think. Could, potentially (with the flute and occasional percussion) be a very different version of Glacier.
Long Day - Brian's EMS improvisation forms the beginning and end to this, the middle section is another collage of spoken word, field recordings and elements of the intro to Sunsets reappearing. Nice, but very stark. The version on EBS 7 (49:30-53:10) is much longer, so it's very interesting to hear the various work-in-progress versions of this turn into the final track.
Vast Landscape - I wasn't a particular fan of this on EBS7 (around 20:45) and sadly that hasn't changed - again, it sounds like one of Brian's solo experiments that would work much better in a different context - and again it's probably a bit too long. A few samples of Environments - Birds from the archives on here.
Clear Light of Reality - interestingly, a reprise of the opening track. Similar mix of strings, choir, electric piano, guitar, field recordings, bells and synths. Would love this to be about ten times longer, but hey. Rounds the album off brilliantly, with a return to the opening track, and just generally ending on such a beautiful note.
Artwork-wise, much like the other volumes, a mixture of rural and urban photographs, which don't all do the music justice, but are very nice. I was wondering if the silence on the Environments 5 rumour front would be ended with this, but no advert page this time, so time will tell with that one. I think it'll be nice to have a surprise for the next release - 3 and 4 were both announced two years before their releases that they've had a LOT of hype to deal with (similarly I think I'll avoid clips on Juno in the future - with some short tracks on this, I felt like I'd heard most of the album before I put it on which gave a slightly disappointing first run through).
Overall, the album is excellent. It's much more focused than volume 3 was, with a largely consistent sound throughout. It almost recreates the near-perfect structure of 2, building up to a lively mid-section, before winding down for the end, but sadly I think tracks 11-13 derail it a bit by being just a bit too stark and static. The first 10 tracks are bursting with life: there's so much going on on this album that I had absolutely no idea what to make of it on first couple of listens; but those three tracks are much more stripped back and repetitive, and having them near the end just slows it all down a bit too much. I'd say that's my only complaint, though, even Murmurations I can live with, even if it too could do with a minute or so trimmed. Interestingly, despite being only 50 minutes, there really is no room for more here without it just being overstuffed with ideas. It's the longest 50 minutes I've ever experienced listening to an album.
Anyway, yes, the first half of the album easily has some of the best music they've made to date, and those ten or so minutes near the end aren't enough to detract from that - this is still a wonderful record regardless. Other than two or three familiar samples, everything here does indeed sound new, and it's got a distinct identity of its own that makes it really stand up as a proper new FSOL record. It manages to give an exotic, tropical, organic feel without even remotely retreading on Lifeforms territory, which is impressive. If I had to compare it to anything, I'd say it's a mixture of the more ambient parts of Environments 2 and The Woodlands of Old, with just a hint of The Peppermint Tree sprinkled on top.
The most notable thing you can take from that is that it takes a definite leap forward in the acoustic/classical/performance-based direction introduced on the previous two volumes. Although not quite heading into the full on strings and pianos direction that seemed possible a few years ago, the ambient stuff doesn't seem loop-based, and it's definitely got an acoustic warmth to it throughout. "What you've just said might surprise some people, when you say that you've run the whole gammet of ideas so far, because I think a lot of people think with electronic music it gives infinite possibilities..." Something to think about.
8/10, I think.
Interesting side note: the untitled tracks around 8 minutes and 16 minutes into EBS7 aren't on the album, whatever they are. Which is a shame, as that 16 minute one is incredible.
Got back to my flat on Saturday and found my copy waiting for me, excitingly. Had a chance to listen to it quite a few times. I'm going to attempt a track-by-track, but it's not really a 'track'y album so this is quite hard to do actually...
The Wheel of Life - really, really fucking beautiful incredible wonderful uplifting organic ambient collage stuff. Lots of instrumentation and synth ambience and field recordings. No proper words for this. One of the best things they've ever done. Amazing.
No Man's Land - reminds me a little of Newfoundland from E2, a bit darker, really nice ambient interlude. Lovely stuff. 34:45-36:00 of EBS7.
River Delta - ups the tempo at the right point here. Really dramatic, dark, beautiful ambient breaks piece, slightly new agey vocal samples.
Supercontinents - more ambient collagey stuff, much more intense sounding though. Sounds like a continuation of River Delta. Nice electronic sounds at the end.
Sediment - continues in the ambient collage vein, but more acoustic again. Sitar drone in the background. So far this all sounds like it's got elements of Amorphousy stuff in it somewhere, none of the digital coldness that was found on some of Environments 3.
Architektur - the pace picks up again at this point, another quite intense track. I like this one a lot, sounds like a modern take on their mid 90s era. Has a nice unconnected bit at the end that builds into the next track, reminds me of the seguing sections on Dead Cities in that way.
Murmurations - I'd say this fits in much better than I expected it to (partially as it keeps up the pace of the previous track), but I still don't understand why it was chosen as a FSOL track rather than an Amorphous one. It's grown on me since I first heard it, and it's incredibly catchy, but I'd say it's a minute or two too long - doesn't do enough to warrant six minutes. Another atmospheric outro.
Sunsets - 33:27-34:45 on EBS7 is the intro to this one, then in come some slow beats and organ stuff, more piano playing (Pemberton I'd imagine), and even something resembling a synth solo (tasteful, don't worry). Incredibly sad, beautiful sounding stuff here, a definite highlight of the record.
Photosynthesis - more ambient collage stuff, the gulls from Sense of Being return alongside some waves hitting the seashore and some soft, subtle synths. Simple but effective. Very pretty.
Stand a little less between me and the sun - short, beautiful guitar interlude piece (with, again, collagey ambient backing), works in the same way The Oldest Lady did on E3, as I guessed.
Fibrilation - reminds me a lot of the Heads of Agreement stuff, stuttered synths, strange samples used as percussion, various samples coming in and out. Quite abstract and relatively static. This is another that doesn't really require such a long runtime, would work nicely at 3 minutes rather than 5 I think. Could, potentially (with the flute and occasional percussion) be a very different version of Glacier.
Long Day - Brian's EMS improvisation forms the beginning and end to this, the middle section is another collage of spoken word, field recordings and elements of the intro to Sunsets reappearing. Nice, but very stark. The version on EBS 7 (49:30-53:10) is much longer, so it's very interesting to hear the various work-in-progress versions of this turn into the final track.
Vast Landscape - I wasn't a particular fan of this on EBS7 (around 20:45) and sadly that hasn't changed - again, it sounds like one of Brian's solo experiments that would work much better in a different context - and again it's probably a bit too long. A few samples of Environments - Birds from the archives on here.
Clear Light of Reality - interestingly, a reprise of the opening track. Similar mix of strings, choir, electric piano, guitar, field recordings, bells and synths. Would love this to be about ten times longer, but hey. Rounds the album off brilliantly, with a return to the opening track, and just generally ending on such a beautiful note.
Artwork-wise, much like the other volumes, a mixture of rural and urban photographs, which don't all do the music justice, but are very nice. I was wondering if the silence on the Environments 5 rumour front would be ended with this, but no advert page this time, so time will tell with that one. I think it'll be nice to have a surprise for the next release - 3 and 4 were both announced two years before their releases that they've had a LOT of hype to deal with (similarly I think I'll avoid clips on Juno in the future - with some short tracks on this, I felt like I'd heard most of the album before I put it on which gave a slightly disappointing first run through).
Overall, the album is excellent. It's much more focused than volume 3 was, with a largely consistent sound throughout. It almost recreates the near-perfect structure of 2, building up to a lively mid-section, before winding down for the end, but sadly I think tracks 11-13 derail it a bit by being just a bit too stark and static. The first 10 tracks are bursting with life: there's so much going on on this album that I had absolutely no idea what to make of it on first couple of listens; but those three tracks are much more stripped back and repetitive, and having them near the end just slows it all down a bit too much. I'd say that's my only complaint, though, even Murmurations I can live with, even if it too could do with a minute or so trimmed. Interestingly, despite being only 50 minutes, there really is no room for more here without it just being overstuffed with ideas. It's the longest 50 minutes I've ever experienced listening to an album.
Anyway, yes, the first half of the album easily has some of the best music they've made to date, and those ten or so minutes near the end aren't enough to detract from that - this is still a wonderful record regardless. Other than two or three familiar samples, everything here does indeed sound new, and it's got a distinct identity of its own that makes it really stand up as a proper new FSOL record. It manages to give an exotic, tropical, organic feel without even remotely retreading on Lifeforms territory, which is impressive. If I had to compare it to anything, I'd say it's a mixture of the more ambient parts of Environments 2 and The Woodlands of Old, with just a hint of The Peppermint Tree sprinkled on top.
The most notable thing you can take from that is that it takes a definite leap forward in the acoustic/classical/performance-based direction introduced on the previous two volumes. Although not quite heading into the full on strings and pianos direction that seemed possible a few years ago, the ambient stuff doesn't seem loop-based, and it's definitely got an acoustic warmth to it throughout. "What you've just said might surprise some people, when you say that you've run the whole gammet of ideas so far, because I think a lot of people think with electronic music it gives infinite possibilities..." Something to think about.
8/10, I think.
Interesting side note: the untitled tracks around 8 minutes and 16 minutes into EBS7 aren't on the album, whatever they are. Which is a shame, as that 16 minute one is incredible.
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
And here's the more concise review I put on Amazon this morning:
With each successive 'Environments' release, FSOL fans ask the same question: 'is this the new album?' Whilst the mixture of old and new material on volumes 2 and 3 was largely successful, it did still leave us wanting an entire album of freshly recorded material. It is with some excitement, then, that Environments 4 seems to be just the album people have been waiting for.
Although the record contains the familiar FSOL mixture of ambience, beats and samples, it is fair to say that nothing here really sounds like the band's 1990s output. Despite some exotic sounding track titles - and field recordings to match - this is not a Lifeforms retread: where that album pulsated with loop-based electronica, Environments 4 feels largely freeform, with looser song structures and slightly jam-based numbers. It is clear that the duo's dabblings with psychedelia as The Amorphous Androgynous have had an influence here, not only on Murmurations (which would fit quite comfortably on an Amorphous record), but also the rolling acoustic percussion of River Delta, and Sunsets, with a loose organ and piano arrangement sitting alongside more acoustic drums and even a synth solo. The bulk of the album, however, comes in the form of acoustic ambient collages. Tracks like Supercontinents, Sediment and Stand a Little Less... ebb and flow with tropical birds, ocean waves, synth washes, sitar drones and acoustic guitar; yet there is the familiar dark undercurrent ever-present in FSOL's music that refuses to let these tracks cross over into new age schmaltz. The album's thematically linked opener and closer are the highlights, with a symphonic beauty that is almost overwhelming, particularly in the electric piano and string arrangements.
Somewhere in the second half of the album things do lose their way a little, with Fibrillation and Vast Landscape both lacking structural variation, and sounding somewhat stark and empty in comparison to the lush soundscapes of the opening section. The tracks don't completely derail the album, although sat right near the end, they do slow it down at the point where it needs to reach a climax, and add just a touch of disappointment to an otherwise fantastic record.
Overall, Environments 4 is not just another excellent record by FSOL, it is the first record since Dead Cities that shows a real stride forward into a new direction. Dougans and Cobain have successfully tied together the classical ambience of the previous Environments volumes with elements of Amorphous Androgynous and their other experimental side projects, to finally deliver a definitive statement of where the band stand musically today. And a couple of subpar tracks aside, it seems like a great place to stand. Highly recommended.
Mind you, that bonus track thing has really annoyed me. Those of us who bought the more expensive option miss out on the bonus track. Excellent way to treat your fans, guys.
With each successive 'Environments' release, FSOL fans ask the same question: 'is this the new album?' Whilst the mixture of old and new material on volumes 2 and 3 was largely successful, it did still leave us wanting an entire album of freshly recorded material. It is with some excitement, then, that Environments 4 seems to be just the album people have been waiting for.
Although the record contains the familiar FSOL mixture of ambience, beats and samples, it is fair to say that nothing here really sounds like the band's 1990s output. Despite some exotic sounding track titles - and field recordings to match - this is not a Lifeforms retread: where that album pulsated with loop-based electronica, Environments 4 feels largely freeform, with looser song structures and slightly jam-based numbers. It is clear that the duo's dabblings with psychedelia as The Amorphous Androgynous have had an influence here, not only on Murmurations (which would fit quite comfortably on an Amorphous record), but also the rolling acoustic percussion of River Delta, and Sunsets, with a loose organ and piano arrangement sitting alongside more acoustic drums and even a synth solo. The bulk of the album, however, comes in the form of acoustic ambient collages. Tracks like Supercontinents, Sediment and Stand a Little Less... ebb and flow with tropical birds, ocean waves, synth washes, sitar drones and acoustic guitar; yet there is the familiar dark undercurrent ever-present in FSOL's music that refuses to let these tracks cross over into new age schmaltz. The album's thematically linked opener and closer are the highlights, with a symphonic beauty that is almost overwhelming, particularly in the electric piano and string arrangements.
Somewhere in the second half of the album things do lose their way a little, with Fibrillation and Vast Landscape both lacking structural variation, and sounding somewhat stark and empty in comparison to the lush soundscapes of the opening section. The tracks don't completely derail the album, although sat right near the end, they do slow it down at the point where it needs to reach a climax, and add just a touch of disappointment to an otherwise fantastic record.
Overall, Environments 4 is not just another excellent record by FSOL, it is the first record since Dead Cities that shows a real stride forward into a new direction. Dougans and Cobain have successfully tied together the classical ambience of the previous Environments volumes with elements of Amorphous Androgynous and their other experimental side projects, to finally deliver a definitive statement of where the band stand musically today. And a couple of subpar tracks aside, it seems like a great place to stand. Highly recommended.
Mind you, that bonus track thing has really annoyed me. Those of us who bought the more expensive option miss out on the bonus track. Excellent way to treat your fans, guys.
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Very annoying about the bonus track, they did that with the Peppermint tree but in that case the download was available a long time before the physical release. Beyond that, lalala I'm not listening! I think I need to apply the thumb screws to the post woman here...
I am the eye that looks within
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
edit: Bonus track will come to those who bought the CD from FSOLDigital too apparently. Panic averted.
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Yep, they've just emailed with a link. Having extracted the CD from the mail room I can now finally give this thing a good listen with the bonus track on the end...
I am the eye that looks within
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
listening to the clips on fsoldigital, gives me chills down my spine. I want the CD!!!
I had killed a man...a man who looked like me
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Brilliant album and I'm not kidding the bonus track is the best track.
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
The album holds together really well, it's like time stands still. The whole thing is like slowly floating down a river through different lands and er, environments (duh). Very difficult to take the thing on a track by track basis, it's one whole vast piece of music.
The bonus track sounds a little like an alternative version of Fibrillation, or at least a close relative. I was a little puzzled on first listen, partly due to having heard half the album on preview samples courtesy of Juno. On second listen it's a more enjoyable experience. I guess it's a grower. I'm really pleased that it seems to be an album of entirely new music and a genuine step forward. Wonder if anyone in the press notices it.
The bonus track sounds a little like an alternative version of Fibrillation, or at least a close relative. I was a little puzzled on first listen, partly due to having heard half the album on preview samples courtesy of Juno. On second listen it's a more enjoyable experience. I guess it's a grower. I'm really pleased that it seems to be an album of entirely new music and a genuine step forward. Wonder if anyone in the press notices it.
I am the eye that looks within
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ronniedobbs
- Expander
- Posts: 302
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:27 pm
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Yes got my bonus track today, now hurry air mail!
play this backwards and you'll hear evil messages
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
Just listening with headphones whilst watching an absolutely gorgeous sunset from my living room window.
The album is pretty amazing, it has this quite, subtle quality that accompanied the last EBS-mixes and the newer tracks on E2 and E3.
It's not mindblowing like you go "WOW" at first listen, it just sounds very mature to me. The mindblowing qualities of their music are more what AA is about these days I guess.
The album is pretty amazing, it has this quite, subtle quality that accompanied the last EBS-mixes and the newer tracks on E2 and E3.
It's not mindblowing like you go "WOW" at first listen, it just sounds very mature to me. The mindblowing qualities of their music are more what AA is about these days I guess.
Magnificient Insignificance
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ronniedobbs
- Expander
- Posts: 302
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:27 pm
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
*listening* oh shit this is the new fsol album. welcome back guys we missed you.
anyone got a light?
anyone got a light?
play this backwards and you'll hear evil messages
Re: Environments 4 - clips now on Juno!
@Dubmasta & Ross... on the subject of Fibrillation - I kept thinking that main synth noise sounded so familiar - and then it occurred to me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgDT7AqzLrw
Now drop the pitch a little...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrloyhzhrSk&ob=av2e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgDT7AqzLrw
Now drop the pitch a little...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrloyhzhrSk&ob=av2e
Proceed with visual attack.