Press.
'Thesis 18'
"Thesis 18, which features a delightfully unexpected partnership between Black Brunswicker, Lucy Gooch & zakè. As with most Thesis releases, this is an inspired pairing of artists that had never collaborated previously, but these three do share a connection as they have all recently released material on Past Inside the Present, a label which zakè co-founded two years ago.
Lucy Gooch’s Rushing, which came out early this year, has garnered much well-deserved attention for her distinctive blending of ambient, choral, an pop motifs while Black Brunswicker’s Hidden Amongst the Trees and Foothills and zakè’s Orchestral Tape Studies feature prominently among my most recommended ambient albums of 2019.
“Wash Away” is a mesmerizing amalgam of sounds created by all three artists while “On a Sunny Shore” is an warmly pastoral mediation on guitar & tape by Black Brunswicker.
In addition to the cover art, Thesis created three beautiful new poster prints to accompany the release as well as the highly unique “turntable ballet” which assembles contour line drawings of each musician’s hand, as well as their city of origin, on a stalk of prairie plant mounted to driftwood which spins along while the album plays.
Thesis 18 was mastered by Simon Scott and includes additional vocal arrangement & synthesizers by Alistair Lax."
-Stationary Travels
Lucy Gooch’s Rushing, which came out early this year, has garnered much well-deserved attention for her distinctive blending of ambient, choral, an pop motifs while Black Brunswicker’s Hidden Amongst the Trees and Foothills and zakè’s Orchestral Tape Studies feature prominently among my most recommended ambient albums of 2019.
“Wash Away” is a mesmerizing amalgam of sounds created by all three artists while “On a Sunny Shore” is an warmly pastoral mediation on guitar & tape by Black Brunswicker.
In addition to the cover art, Thesis created three beautiful new poster prints to accompany the release as well as the highly unique “turntable ballet” which assembles contour line drawings of each musician’s hand, as well as their city of origin, on a stalk of prairie plant mounted to driftwood which spins along while the album plays.
Thesis 18 was mastered by Simon Scott and includes additional vocal arrangement & synthesizers by Alistair Lax."
-Stationary Travels
'Mirrored'
"The latest full-length excursion from the Zakè Drone label brings together imprint chief zakè and Past Inside The Present collaborator Slow Dancing Society for a first collaborative outing. Comprising six slow-motion tracks that sit somewhere between drone, academic ambient, sound design, ambient techno and neo-classical, "Mirrored" is an undeniably meditative affair capable of soothing stressed minds and warming aching limbs. There are of course distinctive highlights - see the gently throbbing deep space chords and hypnotic deep techno beats of "Mirrored", the windswept-but-warm pulse of "Anamnesis" and the contemplative late night drift of "Nadir" - but the album's greatest strength is undoubtedly how it sits together as a coherent, mood-enhancing whole."
-Juno Records
--
“Minimal composition, only consisting of filtered pads and clicky house drums. Ironically its zenith is closer track ‘Nadir’, a smooth drone piece on a slow crescendo that gradually becomes less filtered and more visceral.”
-Bandcamp, (New and Notable)
-Juno Records
--
“Minimal composition, only consisting of filtered pads and clicky house drums. Ironically its zenith is closer track ‘Nadir’, a smooth drone piece on a slow crescendo that gradually becomes less filtered and more visceral.”
-Bandcamp, (New and Notable)
'Coppice Movements'
“Created as an addendum to the 'Carolina' album, 'Coppice Movements', and the five movements comprising the EP, isn't so much a case of exploring new territories as it is a convincing display of just how much can be done within a relatively strict conceptual framework. One of the joys of drone in forms tied to ambient electronica is the deceptive sense of depth - refrains often hang on a single central tone but float, glide and flow in a manner that creates textured soundscapes on such a huge scale images of mountain tops and big country wildernesses are rarely far from the mind's eye. zakè’s latest is a case in point, offering plenty of calm but complex scores primed for the self-reflective moments in time we spend considering the beauty of our world.”
-Juno Records
--
“This is a gorgeous EP of soft, thoughtful ambient music, right when many of us need it most.”
-Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork
-Juno Records
--
“This is a gorgeous EP of soft, thoughtful ambient music, right when many of us need it most.”
-Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork
'Carolina'
"Set against the backdrop of an escape to hidden corners of the rural Southeast, prolific healing sound propagandist zakè and Polar Seas Recordings present Carolina. Suffused with manipulated field recordings, each of Carolina's four pieces reenacts a moment in its composer's journey: "Gaffney Fields" pairs memorial chimes with a persistent drone, while the flowing "Chesnee Rivulet" and the gentle roar of "Woodland Aurora" evoke distant ensembles lost in a forest thrum. Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri, Carolina is a solemn yet joyful paean to seclusion, and the awe beyond our doors."
-Luke Entelis (Viul)
--
"zake's first solo album of 2020 was recorded and produced during "a four-day excursion in several secluded areas" in South Carolina. As a result, listeners can expect to hear babbling brooks, birdsong and the gentle rustling of leaves beneath zake's alluring mixture of enveloping ambient chords, unearthly drone tones, opaque electronics and slowly-shifting, heavily processed neo-classical movements. The results are hugely immersive and undeniably enjoyable, with each of the four tracks delivering a head-in-the-clouds journey that ripples with becalmed, atmospheric intent. In other words, it's the kind of ambient music you can get lost in. More please!"
-Juno Records
--
"Carolina by zakè from Polar Seas Records is a gentle tonal respite to the lush and warm woodlands of the south. The music evokes a sense of natural reverence and hushed joy beneath a canopy of vibrant processed field recordings. The soft ambient loops are like captured moments of elation, faded reruns ready to be to played back, revisiting those memories of quiet contentment."
-Tone Harvest
--
This gorgeous transparent colored vinyl (available in yellow, green, and blue) is the first full-length for Zach Frizzell outside of his very own Past Inside the Present label. As the title and the cover of the album suggest, for these four pieces, Frizzell focuses on the environmental ambiance inspired by his four-day exclusion throughout the Cherokee and Spartanburg counties of South Carolina. The sounds of low ambient drone mix with the captured sonic postcards of the flowing waters, singing birds, and swaying trees. Just listening to this recording while I’m writing these words makes me want to escape into nature, which appears to be thriving while humans have hidden away. Listened to at low volume, Carolina can serve as a perfect escapist tool from our current surreal predicament.
-Headphone Commute
--
“Being from SC, one read through Carolina’s release description and safe to say I was going to be covering this one. Brian Eno has said in regards to ambient music, “it must be as ignorable as it is interesting” and Carolina is ambient in the truest sense. You can get completely lost in the sounds here or they can easily float by unaffected in the background, much like nature itself. It is your choice how to observe and interpret and zakè provides the perfect sonic backdrop for that to occur. When given your full attention, Carolina is a majestic and spiritual musical journey into nature and all its restorative powers.”
-Sound as Language
--
“Perfect calm listening, the antidote to fear in these troubled times.”
-pinpod, Quiet Space
-Luke Entelis (Viul)
--
"zake's first solo album of 2020 was recorded and produced during "a four-day excursion in several secluded areas" in South Carolina. As a result, listeners can expect to hear babbling brooks, birdsong and the gentle rustling of leaves beneath zake's alluring mixture of enveloping ambient chords, unearthly drone tones, opaque electronics and slowly-shifting, heavily processed neo-classical movements. The results are hugely immersive and undeniably enjoyable, with each of the four tracks delivering a head-in-the-clouds journey that ripples with becalmed, atmospheric intent. In other words, it's the kind of ambient music you can get lost in. More please!"
-Juno Records
--
"Carolina by zakè from Polar Seas Records is a gentle tonal respite to the lush and warm woodlands of the south. The music evokes a sense of natural reverence and hushed joy beneath a canopy of vibrant processed field recordings. The soft ambient loops are like captured moments of elation, faded reruns ready to be to played back, revisiting those memories of quiet contentment."
-Tone Harvest
--
This gorgeous transparent colored vinyl (available in yellow, green, and blue) is the first full-length for Zach Frizzell outside of his very own Past Inside the Present label. As the title and the cover of the album suggest, for these four pieces, Frizzell focuses on the environmental ambiance inspired by his four-day exclusion throughout the Cherokee and Spartanburg counties of South Carolina. The sounds of low ambient drone mix with the captured sonic postcards of the flowing waters, singing birds, and swaying trees. Just listening to this recording while I’m writing these words makes me want to escape into nature, which appears to be thriving while humans have hidden away. Listened to at low volume, Carolina can serve as a perfect escapist tool from our current surreal predicament.
-Headphone Commute
--
“Being from SC, one read through Carolina’s release description and safe to say I was going to be covering this one. Brian Eno has said in regards to ambient music, “it must be as ignorable as it is interesting” and Carolina is ambient in the truest sense. You can get completely lost in the sounds here or they can easily float by unaffected in the background, much like nature itself. It is your choice how to observe and interpret and zakè provides the perfect sonic backdrop for that to occur. When given your full attention, Carolina is a majestic and spiritual musical journey into nature and all its restorative powers.”
-Sound as Language
--
“Perfect calm listening, the antidote to fear in these troubled times.”
-pinpod, Quiet Space
'Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel'
"If you’ve ever seen a space-travel movie, you’re probably familiar with the concept of longterm stasis, aka hyper sleep: just a bunch of humans chilling in torpor en route to some newer, brighter world, light years away from the marvelous blue marble we call home. Hypothetically, the trope may become a reality further down the line; the aerospace engineering company SpaceWorks, for instance, has proposed “torpor-inducing transfer habitats” as a means of smoothening mankind’s eventual journey to Mars (assuming we make it there before bringing about our own demise, of course.) Until then, we’ll have to settle for the soundtrack, Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel. A collaborative release between the British producer Dennis Huddleston (aka 36) and Zaké, a “healing sound propagandist” from Indianapolis, IN, it’s a sonic approximation of the impossible (and impossibly expensive) space nap, manifested here as three soft, soothing, melancholic ambient movements: the four-stage title track, which represents the journey away from home; a nostalgic, field recording-flavored “extended hypersleep program” inspired by all the places left behind (caves, rain, cities); and at the end of the tranquil dream, a trilogy of “reductions” to let us back down to earth. I highly recommend listening to this record at night, looking up at the stars, bundled up in your favorite sweater. It’s not the same exact thing as a stasis pod, but it’s close."
—Zoe Camp, Bandcamp (Best New Ambient Music on Bandcamp)
--
"Given the respective outputs of committed ambient explorers and sound designers Zake (best known for releasing no less than five fine albums in 2019) and 36 (most recently seen on A Strangely Isolated Place with the superb album "Fade To Grey"), you'd expect this trip into aural deep space to be rather good. It is of course, with the four tracks mixing echoing sonic tones and drifting sound effects with slow-burn electronic melodies and the kind of immersive, sustained chords that were once the preserve of German maestro Pete Namlook. The third track in the suite, appropriately titled "Stage 3", is little less than stunning, in part because of its grandiose, almost classical intent."
-Juno Records
--
"The first collaboration between frequent Past Inside the Present contributor 36 and the label’s founder zakè tells a very human story through layers of literal and figurative atmosphere. The album voices a personal longing for others to feel content with switching off, for self-reflection and stillness. The album comes in three “movements;” the introductory self-titled track attempts to capture what’s being left behind, “Extended Hypersleep Program” is the central narrative, and “Reduction” is its denouement (it could be read either as a return to Earth or a further descent into uncharted territory). The drowsiness instilled by the implied cryogenic slumber feels manufactured, the rounded-off sonic edges reminiscent of the album’s futuristic, clean, and sterile setting. There’s a surrealism that pervades the album that not only assists in telling its story, but gives it its own unique tonal flavor."
—Ari Delaney, Bandcamp (Best New Ambient Music on Bandcamp)
--
"On Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel, Dennis Huddleston, who, once again, appears here as 36, and Zach Frizzell, the very founder of the Past Inside the Present label, who also records under his zakè moniker (also known as 扎克), offer us over 90 minutes of space roaming drift. The yellow and red swirly transparent vinyl and its beautiful transparent cobalt brother featured the first four stages of this extended voyage, while the digital release on Bandcamp includes the Extended Hypersleep Program [this one is composed solely by Huddleston] and additional “reductions” [in turn composed solely by Frizzell] to truly bring your self-inflicted chaos to a still. The release is an ideal selection of mind settling music, especially during these times of self-isolation, where, interestingly enough, the [human] world found itself slowing its pace."
-Headphone Commute
--
"The now veteran of the ambient-drone Dennis Huddleston, aka 36, of Leeds, and zakè, of Indianapolis, unite to describe in this album one of the typical sci-fi scenarios, namely that of the journey long lasting in the cosmos. In particular, they refer to the process of "hibernation" of the astronauts, a state of deep and prolonged sleep that could make possible operations such as the colonization of Mars or the exploration, with human crew, of our Solar System. The science fiction pretext of "Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel" is, however, the occasion for a reading that combines the space theme with the meditative one: the Universe intended as a place of exploration of thought, boundless field of introspection.
Ideally divided into three large parts, the work articulates its 97 total minutes as follows: a 28-minute suite in four "stages" that closely follows the typical sounds of film science fiction, with a very slow fanfare diluted in subliminal melodies that recall Vangelis to the point of colliding with a sidereal wind, a meeting point between the cosmic restlessness of Klaus Schulze and the new age poetry of Constance Demby; after a piece dedicated to the stasis room (for about 6 minutes), a 30-minute triptych of nostalgic dreamy frescoes appears, animated by minimal sounds and clouds of drones, as well as by more descriptive field-recordings, which remind us of the landscapes in a moving way Earthlings (a cave, rain, a city at night). Three conclusive "reductions", diluted versions and pareidolitic illusions of the sounds already listened to, which translate the border between dream and wakefulness into music, recalling the splendid, rarefied and imaginative journeys of the Stars Of The Lid, culminating in the final "Reduction 3 ", a full 21 minutes.
What distinguishes the dream from death? In the first with the immobile body a mind coexists that explores an inner universe, abstract and soothing, synesthetic and hypnotic; in the second, they dominate total anguish and, afterwards, a boundless nullity. This "Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel" is never eerie, because a spark of emotion animates its long suites and contrasts the journey of the mind with the stasis of the body. Far from the metropolitan chaos, from the incessant stimuli of the hyperconnected global village, from the pressing deadlines and from the alarming breaking news that take sleep away, we find ourselves meditating for an abundant hour and a half, leaving for a while that with the movement of the body replace the boundless journey of the soul. It is no coincidence that 36 published the EP "Music For Isolation" in early April: what is the quarantine that the world has been experiencing in these months, if not a long standstill?"
-Ondarock, Italy
--
“Since its earliest iteration, ambient has consistently been defined by the idea of concept – as explicitly representing an idea, space, or journey. The new collaboration between 36 & zaké is an exquisite example of this tradition, as Stasis Sounds is a “soundtrack that commences at Earth’s thermosphere, gently moving towards the untraveled parts of space, lushly floating on forever.” This is a record that evolves slowly, like water gently trickling from a glacier, drawing the listener in to get lost in its subtly epic scope. The gleaming tape loops, the thoughtful synths that stretch tantalisingly into the infinite distance, Stasis Sounds feels like stepping into the turn of Earth.”
-All Things Loud
--
“Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel, sees UK ambienteer, 36, collude with US ‘healing sound propagandist,’ zaké, in a field recording-infused ‘extended hypersleep program’ inspired by nostalgia for an imagined left behind (cities, caves, rain). Spatial transmissions awash with billowing tones for quiet reflection—an act congruent with the tenor of life on this current version of Earth.”
-Igloo Magazine
—Zoe Camp, Bandcamp (Best New Ambient Music on Bandcamp)
--
"Given the respective outputs of committed ambient explorers and sound designers Zake (best known for releasing no less than five fine albums in 2019) and 36 (most recently seen on A Strangely Isolated Place with the superb album "Fade To Grey"), you'd expect this trip into aural deep space to be rather good. It is of course, with the four tracks mixing echoing sonic tones and drifting sound effects with slow-burn electronic melodies and the kind of immersive, sustained chords that were once the preserve of German maestro Pete Namlook. The third track in the suite, appropriately titled "Stage 3", is little less than stunning, in part because of its grandiose, almost classical intent."
-Juno Records
--
"The first collaboration between frequent Past Inside the Present contributor 36 and the label’s founder zakè tells a very human story through layers of literal and figurative atmosphere. The album voices a personal longing for others to feel content with switching off, for self-reflection and stillness. The album comes in three “movements;” the introductory self-titled track attempts to capture what’s being left behind, “Extended Hypersleep Program” is the central narrative, and “Reduction” is its denouement (it could be read either as a return to Earth or a further descent into uncharted territory). The drowsiness instilled by the implied cryogenic slumber feels manufactured, the rounded-off sonic edges reminiscent of the album’s futuristic, clean, and sterile setting. There’s a surrealism that pervades the album that not only assists in telling its story, but gives it its own unique tonal flavor."
—Ari Delaney, Bandcamp (Best New Ambient Music on Bandcamp)
--
"On Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel, Dennis Huddleston, who, once again, appears here as 36, and Zach Frizzell, the very founder of the Past Inside the Present label, who also records under his zakè moniker (also known as 扎克), offer us over 90 minutes of space roaming drift. The yellow and red swirly transparent vinyl and its beautiful transparent cobalt brother featured the first four stages of this extended voyage, while the digital release on Bandcamp includes the Extended Hypersleep Program [this one is composed solely by Huddleston] and additional “reductions” [in turn composed solely by Frizzell] to truly bring your self-inflicted chaos to a still. The release is an ideal selection of mind settling music, especially during these times of self-isolation, where, interestingly enough, the [human] world found itself slowing its pace."
-Headphone Commute
--
"The now veteran of the ambient-drone Dennis Huddleston, aka 36, of Leeds, and zakè, of Indianapolis, unite to describe in this album one of the typical sci-fi scenarios, namely that of the journey long lasting in the cosmos. In particular, they refer to the process of "hibernation" of the astronauts, a state of deep and prolonged sleep that could make possible operations such as the colonization of Mars or the exploration, with human crew, of our Solar System. The science fiction pretext of "Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel" is, however, the occasion for a reading that combines the space theme with the meditative one: the Universe intended as a place of exploration of thought, boundless field of introspection.
Ideally divided into three large parts, the work articulates its 97 total minutes as follows: a 28-minute suite in four "stages" that closely follows the typical sounds of film science fiction, with a very slow fanfare diluted in subliminal melodies that recall Vangelis to the point of colliding with a sidereal wind, a meeting point between the cosmic restlessness of Klaus Schulze and the new age poetry of Constance Demby; after a piece dedicated to the stasis room (for about 6 minutes), a 30-minute triptych of nostalgic dreamy frescoes appears, animated by minimal sounds and clouds of drones, as well as by more descriptive field-recordings, which remind us of the landscapes in a moving way Earthlings (a cave, rain, a city at night). Three conclusive "reductions", diluted versions and pareidolitic illusions of the sounds already listened to, which translate the border between dream and wakefulness into music, recalling the splendid, rarefied and imaginative journeys of the Stars Of The Lid, culminating in the final "Reduction 3 ", a full 21 minutes.
What distinguishes the dream from death? In the first with the immobile body a mind coexists that explores an inner universe, abstract and soothing, synesthetic and hypnotic; in the second, they dominate total anguish and, afterwards, a boundless nullity. This "Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel" is never eerie, because a spark of emotion animates its long suites and contrasts the journey of the mind with the stasis of the body. Far from the metropolitan chaos, from the incessant stimuli of the hyperconnected global village, from the pressing deadlines and from the alarming breaking news that take sleep away, we find ourselves meditating for an abundant hour and a half, leaving for a while that with the movement of the body replace the boundless journey of the soul. It is no coincidence that 36 published the EP "Music For Isolation" in early April: what is the quarantine that the world has been experiencing in these months, if not a long standstill?"
-Ondarock, Italy
--
“Since its earliest iteration, ambient has consistently been defined by the idea of concept – as explicitly representing an idea, space, or journey. The new collaboration between 36 & zaké is an exquisite example of this tradition, as Stasis Sounds is a “soundtrack that commences at Earth’s thermosphere, gently moving towards the untraveled parts of space, lushly floating on forever.” This is a record that evolves slowly, like water gently trickling from a glacier, drawing the listener in to get lost in its subtly epic scope. The gleaming tape loops, the thoughtful synths that stretch tantalisingly into the infinite distance, Stasis Sounds feels like stepping into the turn of Earth.”
-All Things Loud
--
“Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel, sees UK ambienteer, 36, collude with US ‘healing sound propagandist,’ zaké, in a field recording-infused ‘extended hypersleep program’ inspired by nostalgia for an imagined left behind (cities, caves, rain). Spatial transmissions awash with billowing tones for quiet reflection—an act congruent with the tenor of life on this current version of Earth.”
-Igloo Magazine
'Wander'
"Even by the standards of ambient and drone artists, zakè is prolific. We're barely into May and he's already released two solo albums this year, as well as a full-length collaboration with Slow Dancing Society. 'Wander' was written alongside Texas-based City Of Dawn. Comprised of three lengthy and wonderfully immersive tracks, Wander offers a mesmerizing and meditative mix of densely layered ambient chords, sustained synthesized choral notes, effects-laden post-rock guitar textures, opaque electronics and sun-kissed, slow-burn musical movements. It's brilliantly blissful all told and undeniably one of the month's more enveloping and life-affirming ambient releases."
-Juno Records
--
“This collaborative album between zakè and City of Dawn is the first release under Zakè Drone Recordings; an imprint used to publish zakè’s own material along with collaborative projects involving his work. ‘Wander’ is an expression of slowing down. Collaboratively written during the winter months where days linger, frozen in time. The cold temperatures and darker days significantly influenced the writing process and resolve of both artists resulting in three immersive and hypnotizing dronescapes.”
zakè's first release under this new imprint for 2020 is a collaboration and split album with City of Dawn. Much like his release with Before Flags (on PITP) the release is split between single tracks from each artist and a collaboration. While only three tracks in number, the album clocks in at fifty three minutes.
“Wander” opens the collection with the collaboration producing a glacial drone piece that sounds like a recording of throat singing that has been cut into a section and the stretched out to form a series of long linear drones. The track is a piece of minimalism with only subtle changes being noted throughout the piece as the collaborators tend to focus on a small amount of sound and tightly wind that and play with its dynamics, fluctuating it’s textures and intensities to build and retreat. There is both a form of calmness (more predominant towards the end) and a whole lot of isolation.
“Shenondoah” is zakè’s contribution and takes on a noisier and almost impenetrable dronescape. But what you find underneath the thick wall of noise are moving Basinski-esque loops that roll along and show glimpses of light from under the darkness. The William Basinski approach is a classic sort of one that was done so well by it’s originator that when the style or method is used by other artists the material is held up under a very powerful microscope. When it is done badly it is obvious and the pieces become laborious to listen to However, when it done with the same spirit and intention and without totally copying the original, it can be rather successful. Thankfully for zakè’s case he is in the latter category and despite my aversion these days for noisier pieces, I enjoyed this piece.
City of Dawn round out the collection with “Fernweh” which has a slow moving pace that manages to escape the glacial description purely because of it’s variance. There are two distinct drones operating with a deeper drone being supported by a haunting slightly melodic one on top. Despite it having a dark-ish tonality, there is a feeling of both calmness and a sense of the translation of the title – “Wanderlust”. A visual accompaniment occurs when listening to the piece that involves a lake surrounded by a forest, early in the morning where the water is calm and not a soul is seen. If you are a fan of the purer form of drone music, then this will be right up your alley.
-Drifting, Almost Falling
-Juno Records
--
“This collaborative album between zakè and City of Dawn is the first release under Zakè Drone Recordings; an imprint used to publish zakè’s own material along with collaborative projects involving his work. ‘Wander’ is an expression of slowing down. Collaboratively written during the winter months where days linger, frozen in time. The cold temperatures and darker days significantly influenced the writing process and resolve of both artists resulting in three immersive and hypnotizing dronescapes.”
zakè's first release under this new imprint for 2020 is a collaboration and split album with City of Dawn. Much like his release with Before Flags (on PITP) the release is split between single tracks from each artist and a collaboration. While only three tracks in number, the album clocks in at fifty three minutes.
“Wander” opens the collection with the collaboration producing a glacial drone piece that sounds like a recording of throat singing that has been cut into a section and the stretched out to form a series of long linear drones. The track is a piece of minimalism with only subtle changes being noted throughout the piece as the collaborators tend to focus on a small amount of sound and tightly wind that and play with its dynamics, fluctuating it’s textures and intensities to build and retreat. There is both a form of calmness (more predominant towards the end) and a whole lot of isolation.
“Shenondoah” is zakè’s contribution and takes on a noisier and almost impenetrable dronescape. But what you find underneath the thick wall of noise are moving Basinski-esque loops that roll along and show glimpses of light from under the darkness. The William Basinski approach is a classic sort of one that was done so well by it’s originator that when the style or method is used by other artists the material is held up under a very powerful microscope. When it is done badly it is obvious and the pieces become laborious to listen to However, when it done with the same spirit and intention and without totally copying the original, it can be rather successful. Thankfully for zakè’s case he is in the latter category and despite my aversion these days for noisier pieces, I enjoyed this piece.
City of Dawn round out the collection with “Fernweh” which has a slow moving pace that manages to escape the glacial description purely because of it’s variance. There are two distinct drones operating with a deeper drone being supported by a haunting slightly melodic one on top. Despite it having a dark-ish tonality, there is a feeling of both calmness and a sense of the translation of the title – “Wanderlust”. A visual accompaniment occurs when listening to the piece that involves a lake surrounded by a forest, early in the morning where the water is calm and not a soul is seen. If you are a fan of the purer form of drone music, then this will be right up your alley.
-Drifting, Almost Falling
'Orchestral Tape Studies'
"These studies are a “compilation arranged and curated by healing sound propagandist, 扎克.” The mode becomes pure striations of ambient texture wafting from an off-white drone. The recording is broken into four parts, that actually work seamlessly as an extended long-player. Throughout there are frozen harmonies continually thawing, sometimes behind a filter, sometimes up front. But before the invigorating higher chords the layers melt and rise. It sounds like orchestral music for made in homage to the deterioration of polar ice, warm and chill, back and forth. Lovely set."
—Toneshift
--
"Gracefully & respectfully "healing sound propagandist", 扎克 has sampled & looped the sounds of several orchestras' quieter passages then deftly adorned them with gentle drones & the faintest of field recordings to wonderfully soothing, minimal, neoclassical & ambient effect for Past Inside the Present."
—The Slow Music Movement
--
“Since arriving on the scene less than a year ago, Indianapolis-based Past Inside the Present has rolled out a rather dazzling catalog of thoughtful and immersive ambient releases of exceptionally high quality. Among these is a gem under the title of Orchestral Tape Studies. The record is by “healing sound propagandist” zakè (扎克), an homage to minimalist symphonic composers and orchestras in which fragmented orchestral loops have been compiled and woven together with oscillating repetitive strands of textural ambient drone. The result is a wonderful meditative exploration of liminality and tonality and one of the most serene and beautiful albums you could hope to enjoy.”
—Headphone Commute
--
“Released on the increasingly influential Past Inside the Present label, Orchestral Tape Studies is a compilation album ‘curated’ by 扎克 (Zaké). Based on looped orchestral samples, which then incorporate original field recordings and production, OTS is a remarkably meditative record, that despite its short running time is one that brims with ideas. Presented in four parts, Zaké describes OTS as “intended for listening at low-volumes” and it’s is a mellow, pleasant listen. Opener Pure Violet is classic Tired-era Stars of the Lid; a horn gently blows in the background as strings delicately meld together to form a cohesive whole, while the ominous sound of wind hums beneath. Infinite Ocean is delightful; the violin sounds like it is buried beneath sand but the way the melody curves is joyous. The repetition lulls you in and seems to wrap you in a cocoon of serenity, with the barely audible wisp of wind now only adding to the calm. Zaké describes himself as a “healing sound propagandist”, and OTS is a wonderfully peaceful record. Solar follows suit, its violin slowly rising up and down throughout the track. Combined with how plaintive the strings are, it makes you feel as if you are being talked down from a panic attack, and that the song exists solely to rid you of anxiety. Closing track Stata is perhaps the most complex; this time the violins are more pronounced, the notes sharper and higher – it never strays into disquieting because rather than sounding foreboding, the strings are instead steeped in melancholy. It’s an acutely poignant end to a record of mostly tranquil stylings. Orchestral Tape Studies is a fascinating album, one that feels like an aid to ridding yourself of a 2am anxiety spiral. It’s a record of beauty and poise, and each note feels perfectly placed. It may just be half an hour in length, but it’s a special 30 minutes.”
—All Things Loud
—Toneshift
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"Gracefully & respectfully "healing sound propagandist", 扎克 has sampled & looped the sounds of several orchestras' quieter passages then deftly adorned them with gentle drones & the faintest of field recordings to wonderfully soothing, minimal, neoclassical & ambient effect for Past Inside the Present."
—The Slow Music Movement
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“Since arriving on the scene less than a year ago, Indianapolis-based Past Inside the Present has rolled out a rather dazzling catalog of thoughtful and immersive ambient releases of exceptionally high quality. Among these is a gem under the title of Orchestral Tape Studies. The record is by “healing sound propagandist” zakè (扎克), an homage to minimalist symphonic composers and orchestras in which fragmented orchestral loops have been compiled and woven together with oscillating repetitive strands of textural ambient drone. The result is a wonderful meditative exploration of liminality and tonality and one of the most serene and beautiful albums you could hope to enjoy.”
—Headphone Commute
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“Released on the increasingly influential Past Inside the Present label, Orchestral Tape Studies is a compilation album ‘curated’ by 扎克 (Zaké). Based on looped orchestral samples, which then incorporate original field recordings and production, OTS is a remarkably meditative record, that despite its short running time is one that brims with ideas. Presented in four parts, Zaké describes OTS as “intended for listening at low-volumes” and it’s is a mellow, pleasant listen. Opener Pure Violet is classic Tired-era Stars of the Lid; a horn gently blows in the background as strings delicately meld together to form a cohesive whole, while the ominous sound of wind hums beneath. Infinite Ocean is delightful; the violin sounds like it is buried beneath sand but the way the melody curves is joyous. The repetition lulls you in and seems to wrap you in a cocoon of serenity, with the barely audible wisp of wind now only adding to the calm. Zaké describes himself as a “healing sound propagandist”, and OTS is a wonderfully peaceful record. Solar follows suit, its violin slowly rising up and down throughout the track. Combined with how plaintive the strings are, it makes you feel as if you are being talked down from a panic attack, and that the song exists solely to rid you of anxiety. Closing track Stata is perhaps the most complex; this time the violins are more pronounced, the notes sharper and higher – it never strays into disquieting because rather than sounding foreboding, the strings are instead steeped in melancholy. It’s an acutely poignant end to a record of mostly tranquil stylings. Orchestral Tape Studies is a fascinating album, one that feels like an aid to ridding yourself of a 2am anxiety spiral. It’s a record of beauty and poise, and each note feels perfectly placed. It may just be half an hour in length, but it’s a special 30 minutes.”
—All Things Loud
'Orchestral Tape Studies [Tyresta Reworks]'
"This album is a complete reworking of Orchestral Tape Studies by Chicago-based Nick Turner aka Tyresta using a Mellotron, Fender Jazzmaster, delay and reverb to re-imagine each of the original pieces preserving their deeply contemplative nature while adding new dimensions of depth and opacity to create a more vivid melancholy from the same raw material. Taken together, these two complementary recordings offer over an hour of contemplative audio bliss."
-Headphone Commute
-Headphone Commute
'To Those Who Dwelt in a Land of Deep Darkness'
“To Those Who Dwelt in a Land of Deep Darkness is centered around a 40-minute piece that loops a gentle, layered melodic phrase ad infinitum, with only subtle alterations along the way. It was created as a kind of healing balm for people who have experienced deep loss, and I think therein lies its emotional power. To me it feels like the sun gently breaking through clouds as you start to move on and learn to live with grief. Then at the end comes a short, more active second track that kind of distills the essence of the first. A quietly powerful album with a beautiful stillness at its center.”
—Ambient Music Guide, “Best Albums of 2019”
—Ambient Music Guide, “Best Albums of 2019”
'Self-Titled'
“The debut self-titled 扎克 comes in a limited edition of only one hundred tapes. These four tracks are separated into vignettes, running about forty minutes and contain evocative drone work, from the faint abyss to luminous, jettisoning abandon. Radiance purrs of low-fi tranquility that skims the thin layered surface, with a warm base. Night Shineth as the Day collects some outdoor field recordings, bird sing sweetly paired with a sinewy mid-tonal synth alternating between a lackadaisical afternoon and hazy daydreaming.
Kasita comes rather quietly, and a bit more ventilation running through it, more sublimated than the previous. The lows are somewhat distorted with a bit of transitional onomatopoeia as it navigates onward. If this were the results of an exculpatory mission, this would be the last leg home, with its last few minutes vanishing into silence. That is a lot of breathing room for the closer, Minaret. The silence is quite piercing, but doesn’t last all that long as from this perspective the field widens subliminally slowly, steady and eventually takes over akin to a wall of sound. As this singular work runs for twenty minutes, the first seven or eight climb to a radiant peak of layered drone and pitch, exposed harmony and some casual strumming, keeping that momentum for a good 5-6 minutes. It’s a rush of fresh open air cadences, just overlapping in the most organic way, fading out smoothly over the final moments.”
-Toneshift
Kasita comes rather quietly, and a bit more ventilation running through it, more sublimated than the previous. The lows are somewhat distorted with a bit of transitional onomatopoeia as it navigates onward. If this were the results of an exculpatory mission, this would be the last leg home, with its last few minutes vanishing into silence. That is a lot of breathing room for the closer, Minaret. The silence is quite piercing, but doesn’t last all that long as from this perspective the field widens subliminally slowly, steady and eventually takes over akin to a wall of sound. As this singular work runs for twenty minutes, the first seven or eight climb to a radiant peak of layered drone and pitch, exposed harmony and some casual strumming, keeping that momentum for a good 5-6 minutes. It’s a rush of fresh open air cadences, just overlapping in the most organic way, fading out smoothly over the final moments.”
-Toneshift
'Milieuxia'
"zakè, also known as 扎克 , is one of those artists that seem to breathe music. There were quite a few releases under his zakè alias, but also as Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea. Apart from creating his own ambient music, he is also the founder of the fast emerging Past Inside The Present label. Like the music of, say, Chihei Hatakeyama, zakè’s ambient is ‘classic’ ambient in the sense that does not needs your attention – “his emotive drone work instead hangs in the background, providing listeners with a felt sense of calm and ease.”
Warm, calm, slow music that encourages you to “settle in, open up, and let the experience unfold."
-ambientblog.net
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"zakè’s Milieuxia, another fine tape available from Aural Canyon Records, drifts and hovers like faint cirrus clouds in a peaceful sky.
Comprised mainly of keyboard-based ambient tracks, Milieuxia radiates a glowing warmth that is both healing and inviting, much like the green environment depicted on the cover. It pulls you in with its naturally simplistic vibes, much like a quiet natural scene (again, similar to the cover), and you quickly find yourself mesmerized by the music’s serene energy.
zakè is behind an entire label dedicated to ambient sounds, Past Inside the Present so you can trust that he’d create only the very finest of spacey soundscapes. Turn the lights off, light a few candles and allow this tape to take you soaring through the stratosphere."
-Record Crates United
Warm, calm, slow music that encourages you to “settle in, open up, and let the experience unfold."
-ambientblog.net
--
"zakè’s Milieuxia, another fine tape available from Aural Canyon Records, drifts and hovers like faint cirrus clouds in a peaceful sky.
Comprised mainly of keyboard-based ambient tracks, Milieuxia radiates a glowing warmth that is both healing and inviting, much like the green environment depicted on the cover. It pulls you in with its naturally simplistic vibes, much like a quiet natural scene (again, similar to the cover), and you quickly find yourself mesmerized by the music’s serene energy.
zakè is behind an entire label dedicated to ambient sounds, Past Inside the Present so you can trust that he’d create only the very finest of spacey soundscapes. Turn the lights off, light a few candles and allow this tape to take you soaring through the stratosphere."
-Record Crates United
