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10/13/2019

Ivan Black – Aural Sketchings (2017)



  • Modern classical 
  • Post-classical 
  • Ambient
  • Electronic music 
  • Minimal synth 
  • Organic electronica 
  • Musique concrète 
  • Art music 
  • Kosmische Musik 
  • Dark ambient 
  • Progressive rock

Comment: Ivan Black's 23-track record Aural Sketchings conveys a bliss coming from crossing modern classical and ambient tendencies with one another or rather infrequently, trying to reach pure forms of the aforementioned genres. At times he brings forth more acidic, synthesiser-based experiments which remind of some genres like synthwave and minimal synth after the crease of post-punk started to decline and transform into different subgenres (just a few examples toward it one can find out). Thirdly, Hollow Star is a murky electro-acoustic experiment. Indeed, it is musically and by its mood a solid issue just by going on seamlessly and without any silly pretense to be somehow artsy-fartsy. Because of that I guess, a listener can discover lots of organically extended and accomplished ideas. Emotionally and emotively the best moments are related to those slightly inverted ambient compositions which seem to transcend the borders of time and space, which seem to be simultaneously here and far away (for instance, Day Dream, Adrastea, When You Are Lost, Falling For). Another striking feature is a terrain where field recordings are imbued with droning ambient beauty (Icicles). Additionally, there is also represented Kosmische Musik (In The Stream), dark ambient/dystopbient (Thebe) and spaced-out progressive rock (In The Afternoon). It is a sort of music which probably does arouse one's mind to the extent of hearing new imaginary, physically nonexistent sounds in his/her head. It is a way how sounds and fantasies interact with one another to create a phenomenon called music. I am just trying to humbly map out this wondrous outing with intention not to restrict it somehow in my personal understanding because this autarkic album is filled in with secrets which will persevere even after many listening times I have been having. So let's go on without any superimposition of words on sounds. It is a pure, sophisticated feeling. The glorious issue is a part of the discography of Breathe Compilations.