Records of Aidan Baker are always welcome in my collection. Baker has established a reputation as a very prolific composer of all kinds of soundscapes. He’s not only productive with music under his own name, also Nadja, ARC and Mnemosyne are projects of his. (Check out his website for an extensive overview of his labour.)
‘Traumerei’ is party a lush and ethnic ambient album, partly a ambient-pop album. Each track is performed on a different instrument. Instruments used are flute, acoustic and electric guitar and bass and of course violin. The (post) pop-influences are alike the ‘Figures’ album, only without the vocals this time. The deep-aquatic ambience as on ‘Undercurrents’ is absent. Instead, sensitive sonic experiments. As with most ambient composed on traditional instruments, the result is overly organic and delicate. From the sombre bass-construction ‘Trauma’ to the gentle acoustic guitar piece ‘Reveiller’, it’s a wondrous experience. The title-tracks reminds me of the guitar-only improv. albums by Mick Turner: glowing, calm and mysterious. But unlike Turner, Baker knows how to accommodate tension and climax.
Another splendid piece of work.
