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Ambient collectors have searched for the missing link for years - a search for the albums that reflect the transition from vidnaObmana's early minimalist-ambient work to his current tribal-ambient sound. Echoing Delight, Parallel Flaming & The Spiritual Bonding -- out of print for most of the 90s -- are that missing link. This is the Subterranean Collective.
Subterranean Collective is vidnaObmana's personal collection of these classic albums, presented as a special re-packaged 2-CD set. With re-recorded portions and extra layers of drones and ambience, Subterranean Collective displays vidna's fusion of pure minimal and repetitive atmospheres with ethnic-influenced soundworlds. Includes Vidna's first journey to the Sonoran desert to work with Steve Roach in the Timeroom. Lush, sensual electronics wash over a lattice of ethnic percussion and field recordings of night creatures, invoking a mood of supernatural presence and ritual atmosphere. At once soothing, hypnotic, and darkly provocative, vidnaObmana fulfills the promise of Brian Eno and Jon Hassell's proposed polycultural ‘Fourth World Music’ of the early eighties. 2000. Press information |
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A shining retrospective of Vidna Obmana's finest moments.
A collection of dark ambience culled from several elusive early-90's releases, this two CD set is a shining retrospective of Vidna Obmana's finest moments. Although he draws unavoidable comparisons to Steve Roach, Obmana stands as a worthy and obvious collaborator. He's seldom considered Roach's equal; however, the two artists' connection is undeniable. This collection supports any argument that Obmana's work should be judged on its own merits. Each track rises from some dark place of melancholic solitude. This is the music of dreams, offering visions of a vast beyond without benefit of explanation. Roach, Robert Rich, Alio Die and Djen Ajakan Shean contribute atmospherics and percussion, yet it's Obmana who deserves the bulk of the credit. In the past, Obmana's main problem has been one of consistency. For every excellent track he delivered, there were two others that failed to gain access to the cosmic void. But with 143 minutes of flawless, transportive soundscapes comprising this collection, it's finally possible to discern the stars on Obmana's celestial canvas.
2000. © Mark Burbey |
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Serries' productivity as Vidna Obmana has been so constant and wide-ranging that many of his earlier works have almost been lost along the way. Subterranean Collective addresses this need by means of a creative re-release of three discs that originally appeared in the early '90s but were long out of print: Echoing Delight, The Spiritual Bonding, and Parallel Flaming. Rather than simply remastering and repackaging the original albums, however, Serries instead chose to weave tracks from all three together into a new form over two discs' room, including an attractive unreleased rarity, Lifting Charm, along the way. As such, Subterranean won't satisfy the complete, hardcore fan who must have everything as it first appeared: the running order is completely rearranged, a number of tracks from the originals are missing, and Serries himself worked on new arrangements and sonic elements for many of the songs. That said, nearly everyone else will find much to enjoy among these discs. Subterranean is truly a collection of deep, haunting pleasures, touching on everything from rhythmless, pure ambient sound to intertwined work that combines that with a variety of instruments worldwide (shells, rainsticks, and didgeridoo are only some of his materials used). His range of collaborators on the original releases is practically a who's who list of artists with similar talent and scope, including Djen Ajakan Shean, Robert Rich, and Steve Roach. Indeed, Roach's first recordings with Serries form part of the collection, including the wonderful Challenging Boundaries, with a mesmerizing flute (or its equivalent) keening across the low echoes and soft electronic bed of the song. Overall, Subterranean is both an informative look back and a refreshing new experience, as good a place to start for those unfamiliar with Serries' work as it is a necessary release for those already captivated by him.
2000. © Ned Raggett |