Drone Records from Germany has sent its latest offspring into the world. Five new releases, as always limited 7″ singles in special packaging by experimental drone/ambient artists. Again the label has discovered some interesting new acts, including various musicians from countries east of Germany.

In Meditarium - Mare Internum [DR-75]
In Meditarium consists of Oleg Kolyada and Sergey Svistelnik from Ukraine, who are also involved in the projects Filivs Macrocosmi and Oda Relicta. Before this single they have released two limited cd-r’s. The duo delivers classic yet convincing drone music, dark but meditative. Harmonic compositions with tranquil sound layers, deep basses and accompanying soft esoteric sounds put me in a pleasant state of mind, back to the warmth and safety of a womb.

Lunar Abyss Deum Organum - Brusnika [DR-77]
Lunar Abyss Deum Organum from St. Petersburg has also recorded as Lunar Abyss and especially Lunar Abyss Quartet. Their single contains spacy synth bleeps, dark rumblings and cracklings and quite a heavy amount of vague samples, fields recordings and elements of Baltic lullabies. The overall effect of this collage is pretty ritualistic. At first I though it to be rather unfocused, but after longer listening I got pretty carried away by the mood and sounds of this record.

Closing the Eternity - Northern Lights Ambience [DR-78]
Closing the Eternity originates from Siberia. For ‘Northern Lights Ambience parts I & II’ they have used ’synths & northern lights’ soundings’. The first composition directly engulfes you with an overwhelming atmospheric sound. Deep ambient layers, static crackling and distorted noises really take me on a exciting journey while the blue vinyl spins. ‘Part II’ is distinctly slower and minimal, though using similar sound elements. You can almost feel the cold and wind harassing your body, while you struggle to move forward towards the northern lights. This would have been fitting on the recent ‘Cyrosphere’ compilation.

Aalfang Mit Pferdekopf - Fragment 36 [DR-79]
Aalfang Mit Pferdekopf is the best known act for me amongst the latest series of releases. In the last two years I encountered various interesting releases of this German project around Mirko Uhlig. His excellent latest (and last?) work ‘Fragment 36′ (on marbled green vinyl) consists of ‘Part A’ and ‘Part O’. Side A sounds quite cool and spacious. Gradually the tension rises, making me think of a spaceship slowly taking off. ‘Part O’ starts rather minimal and meditative with ‘glockenspiel’ sounds. Later heavier drones swell and diminish, with typical spacy sounds enhancing the mystery.

R.Y.N. - Whistle And I’ll Come To You [DR-80]
R.Y.N. is a duo from the UK, consisting of P. Burn and D. Glaister. This single is the first I hear of them, apparently they ate bettr known for their noise/doom band Marzuraan. For this single they don’t use guitars, but field recordings. The title track is a dark and dense drone affair. It’s suffocating and repetive, with only subtle changes in volume and texture, but a bit too minimal for my taste. The B-side features a similar relentless & mononotous wall of drones, yet a bit noisier, buzzing like an enormous bee.

Author: HD. Published on: Monday, October 2nd, 2006.
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