Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Dead Company - Watching The Chrysalis Open

Hear The Track Here

Jon Bushaway, prime motivator and bottle washer of the famed Dead Company, has long been one of my favourite wtf artists. I can't put my hand on my heart and swear truthfully that soundscapes (industrial or otherwise) are my favourite genre but by God when they are constructed and played properly they can attain a majesty and grandeur that far outweighs the actual elements used to make them. Surprisingly enough, I have known a great many soundscape makers over the years but none that have quite touched me the way that some of Jon's work has. Admittedly, a strong musical stomach is necessary to extract every bit of goodness out of a Dead Company track, but that has never been a problem for me. Unless we are talking about their more darker (and I mean REALLY dark) compositions which - being brutally honest - scare the poop right out of me.

Not a pretty sight.

Where this musician most appeals to me is in his choice of instrumentation. This is a guy who uses whatever is at hand to construct some of the most delicate, yet intricate of musical structures you are ever likely to hear. Take Watching the Chrysalis Open as a prime example. Normally I cannot abide go-to-sleep music, which you might know better as Electronic Ambient, having cut those particular teeth at the hands of one Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (Ed: that'll be Brian Eno to you oiks), erstwhile founder member of Roxy Music and all round musical oddball. This is a man who walked away from fame and fortune to almost singlehandedly invent the whole Ambient thingie. Also, obviously, a man hated by many for exactly that reason. Personally, I've heard good and bad variations on this genre but on the whole cannot stand the stuff; elevator/airport music at its worst.

Mind you, if I WAS going to sleep, Watching The Chrysalis Open is the ideal soundtrack to snoozeville. Full to bursting with the longest electronic sweeps known to man (also a TDC trademark), tons of tinkly stuff and heavenly chorales by the dozen, its a sonic treat for the ears and the mind. Don't expect too much in the way of structure or propulsion though, it isn't that kind of track even if it does have an underlying theme. Better just to get yourself comfy, close your eyes and drift away. Not something, to be honest, I want to do while being about my daily business (where my review tunes get their proper workout) but I have managed to fall asleep to this track more than once since it came into my possession.

Class relaxation techniques. Highly Recommended electronic ambient.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nice thing.