Environments 6

[tryptych]

With music software that puts numbers before letters alphabetically (i.e. pretty much all of it), this is above Six in the listing. You have no idea how irritating I find that...

That's the same problem with Enviroment/s II/3/4/Five: currently the alphabetical order is 5-3-4-1-2, and when I'll add six and 6.5 (I'm currently waiting for them) the order should be 5-3-4-6.5-1-2-6, that it's quite a mess.
Anyway, very interesting insights into the two albums, can't wait!

First world problems man!

[ob8]

Hello to everyone.

Been a long time lurker on the site. Got into the boys after hearing PNG back in the day. The live radio shows were something that really opened my mind up to the limitless boundaries of sound when navigated by free thinkers. I still play those shows today and people don't believe they are over 20 years old.

I did lose interest with all the psychedelic rock stuff. To my mind that was going back in time and not forward. Love the Archives and Environment series and I like some better than others. I am thankful that we are still getting material to listen to.

Ordered the double cd pack last week Just came today but at the risk of being chastised I must say I found it online on Saturday and have been listening to it since. Some amazing tracks in there, too soon to really give a judgement on my thoughts but generally loving it.

Got a question. Maybe i am totally wrong here but I seem to recall that the guys were playing a track called "A Study Of Six Guitars" from the second AA album. This never surfaced and a totally different reincarnation of AA arrived. Tales was the mutts nuts. What happened there ?

[Enofa]

Welcome aboard!

A Study of Six Guitars ended up on ISDN (both editions). It appeared on a compilation in 1994 as Amorphous, advertised as being from the forthcoming album Environments. For reasons never revealed, that got scrapped and some elements of it ended up on ISDN, whilst the rest remained unreleased. Then it was reconstructed in 2007 and released as the first in the Environments series, albeit renamed to FSOL to avoid confusion with the psych version of Amorphous.

Obviously the two versions of Amorphous are totally different, and to this day I can't fathom why they didn't come up with a new name altogether for the psych stuff. The new Amorphous stuff does have a fanbase entirely separate from FSOL, and it must be really fucking confusing for them to get Tales and try and work out what the hell is going on.

[ob8]

Thanks Ross.

Just checked my two versions and there is nothing there mentioning the track being off the next AA album. Not sure where I got that idea from. Needless to say I bought the second AA album and I was not impressed.

Like the idea of the calendar, knowing that every month we get a new track to feed our habit. Perfect.

[Alcofribas]

I haven't been able to listen to this yet (for completely dumb reasons) but I just wanted to say this is so good even waiting for it is lush

[ronniedobbs]

Welcome aboard!

A Study of Six Guitars ended up on ISDN (both editions). It appeared on a compilation in 1994 as Amorphous, advertised as being from the forthcoming album Environments. For reasons never revealed, that got scrapped and some elements of it ended up on ISDN, whilst the rest remained unreleased. Then it was reconstructed in 2007 and released as the first in the Environments series, albeit renamed to FSOL to avoid confusion with the psych version of Amorphous.

Obviously the two versions of Amorphous are totally different, and to this day I can't fathom why they didn't come up with a new name altogether for the psych stuff. The new Amorphous stuff does have a fanbase entirely separate from FSOL, and it must be really fucking confusing for them to get Tales and try and work out what the hell is going on.

What compilation are you referring to? I'd be interested to know.

[Codringher]

What compilation are you referring to? I'd be interested to know.

https://www.discogs.com/Various-A-Brief ... ase/620590

[mcbpete]

Wow, that looks a cracking compilation of tracks there !

[dell1972]

Is that version of a Study of Six Guitars much different from the ISDN one, or just edited down by a minute anyone?

My impression of the two albums so far, having listened to them both once, is wow. 6.5 is definitely sounding like more of a follow on from E5. It's definitely louder and bassier. I'm generally liking the reintroduction of beats and more electronic edge.

Ross commented that Some Degree of Sanctuary has a recognisable guitar sample. Isn't that from the first, or perhaps the second track of Environment Five)

Anyway, there's a lot to take in, so I'm looking forward to absorbing it over multiple listens.

I've already come to associate 6.5 with the quite frankly weird book I'm wading through - Lovecraft's Dreamquest of Unknown Kadath. Somehow they go together quite well.

[Enofa]

Those Brief History of Ambient compilations are excellent, along with the Excursions in Ambience ones that FSOL also contributed material to. It could be one of those that had a track 'from the forthcoming album Environments'. The version of Six Guitars is basically the same as the one from ISDN without the short environment at the end.

Needless to say I bought the second AA album and I was not impressed.

I absolutely love The Isness - the Abbey Road mix (mispress) version at least, but there's definitely some contention in the fanbase regarding the recent Amorphous material. Some absolutely loathe it, some enjoy it as much as FSOL. I'm probably 50/50 in general.

I've already come to associate 6.5 with the quite frankly weird book I'm wading through - Lovecraft's Dreamquest of Unknown Kadath. Somehow they go together quite well.

Oh Christ, that book took me a long time to finish. I eventually got into it, but even as a big Lovecraft fan I found the endless stream of nonsense fantasy names really, really trying.

[Dennis]

Funny, I recently read some Lovecraft too again, but the more ctulhu-related stuff. Still have to go through his more fairytale/fantasy-inspired stuff like the kadath-story, as I recently bought a "collected-works"-compilation consisting of 4 books featuring all his fairytales in the last book. My accompanying soundtrack for this is usually hauntology stuff like Moon Wiring Club or Caretaker, (this works pretty fine), I never tried FSOL, too much SciFi-sounding

[ob8]

What compilation are you referring to? I'd be interested to know.

https://www.discogs.com/Various-A-Brief ... ase/620590

I forgot I had this. That's where i remembered it from. Thanks !

[epitome]

Just had my first listen to 6.5 (I've listened to Six a couple of times so far). At this early stage, I think I slightly prefer 6.5, if only because 2 or 3 tracks on Six sound a little out of place (still hoping they'll fit better once I get used to them being there after more listens).

One slight niggle with both albums is that there seem to be quite a few tracks that don't segue (some not very well, some not at all). I know most albums by other musicians don't have any segueing tracks, but I guess I'm so used to it from FSOL (and like it so much) that I miss it when it's not there.

Two absolutely cracking albums though. 2, Five and 4 were my favourites in the Environment(s) series so far (probably in that order) but these two might top all of those (not sure yet though )

[Enofa]

I've noticed there are actually quite a few non-seguing moments on the FSOLDigital albums, if you listen closely. I'll make a list later if you like

[epitome]

I've noticed there are actually quite a few non-seguing moments on the FSOLDigital albums, if you listen closely. I'll make a list later if you like

Haha Fair enough, I've probably forgotten from some of the older ones. I do remember some of the recent alias albums not all segueing. To be fair, even the mighty Lifeforms has a couple of tracks that don't segue. Not really a big deal, just nitpicking really - that's about all I can find to grumble about on these albums (well, that and still not being sure of a few of the tracks on Six).

I'd already say 6.5 is up there with ISDN, which until now was my 3rd favourite FSOL album and not too far behind Lifeforms and Dead Cities. And I've only listened to it twice.