Brother Saturn – Silence Your Heart (2023)

Weareallghosts/Bandcamp

Avant-garde Minimalism Progressive electronic Ambient Art rock Dreamwave New Age Post-rock Experimentalism

Ameeriklase Drew Miller'i elik Brother Saturn'i (lisaks veel projektid The Northern Hemisphere, Orsica, The Silent Canyon, Chromadrift) loomingut olen kajastanud siinses blogis ligi kaheksa aastat. Elik natuke rohkem kui pool veebilehekülje eksistentsist, mis siinse ajaarvamise järgi on üsna pikk periood. Koloraadolase muusikat võib lugeda millekski, mille ideelised ja ideoloogilised juured pärinevad nii Berliini koolkonnast kui ka New Age-tunnetusest -- progressiivsed kidrade ja elektroonikaga manatud helilaamad, milles on nii rikkumatut pühalikkust kui pinnapealset virvendust -- seekord valdavad helipilti ujuvad klaasjad noodid ning piimjas heliudu. See on osa majesteetlikult paisuvast ja kokkutõmbuvast helindist, sulnist lainetusest, ent millesse on kätketud ka kriipivaid heliniite, tagurpidi rulluvaid helisid ja resoneeruvaid efekte. DM mängib aeg-ajalt süntesaatori pitch wheel-nupuga, mis kahtlemata tekitab kuulajas elevust. Kontrastid tulevad esile, vastandid sulavad üheks -- pinnapealne süntees nii päriselt kui kuulaja peas. Kummastav erandlik tähelepanek -- muusika kõlab ilma kõrvaklappideta paremini. Üllitis täidab igati pealkirjas püstitatud ülesande. Aasta parimate albumite edetabel saab ka täiendust. Nii loominguliselt, projektide rohkuselt kui ajaraamistikult võib Drew Miller'it võrrelda Manchester'i muusiku Brin Coleman'i elik Bing Satellites'iga (põhiprojekt).

Cousin Silas – Twang 002 (2018)

We Are All Ghosts

Bandcamp

• Ambient
• Drone 
• Microtonal 
• Ambient drone 
• Progressive rock 
• Dark ambient 
• Epic 
• New Age 
• Art music 
• Electronic music

Comment: the Englishman Cousin Silas (born 1959) who does have a solid post-punk and new wave background continues to put up his magical alchemy consisting of gentle reverberant drones and extended ambient soundscapes which at times come close to atmospheric glimpses of progressive rock either. More detailedly, it does mean more vivid and picturesque guitar arcs have been drawn on top of soundscapes. At times the script of the artist changes into a more New Age-y nature with intense colours of northern lights and smouldering flames of implacable music following some sort of glass bead game. Thirdly, Dimension X is the distinctive exception of electronic and electro-acoustic obsession as if put out through warped wires and defective coils. That enchanting glimpse in Cousin Silas' vast discography is also a subsequent part of the one of We Are All Ghosts (by the way, in the very recent days a next brand new one was created and issued by the two, respectively).

Brother Saturn – Unstable Lands (2016)

We Are All Ghosts

Bandcamp

• Dreamwave 
• Abstract 
• Ambient drone 
• Space music 
• Kosmische Musik 
• Indietronica 
• Alternative 
• Synthwave 
• Ambient 
• Electronic music 
• Post-rock 
• Ambient rock

Comment: sometime in the first half of the 90s when Sun Ra left Earth for Saturn forever, to arrive at his birth place he also left vacant his place on the blue planet. By listening to spatial music by Colorado, US-based artist Drew Miller aka Brother Saturn, and enjoying the quality and quantity of his sound he could be an excellent candidate to replace the legend. Unstable Land is a beatific progression through extended and stretched chords and drones being saturated with vibrations. He exploits both guitars and apparently modular synthesisers to fortify the soundscape. At times there can be drawn parallels upon Slowdive's abstract development Pygmalion, at times upon M Geddes Gengras, at times upon the most hazy moments by Ducktails, at times upon epic still life by Pan American at Quiet City, however, the artist does have his own subtle touch and sublime approach among the other ones. I guess Miller's proficiency used to come forth through a dense creative act while drifting between the formalism and sensual (emotive) music. Indeed, one element does not exclude another one in his theoretical setup. Maybe there is also up invisible magic needed to unify the both elements into an enchanting whole. The finishing track Nature`s Reckoning is more mundane in comparison to the other compositions due the stomping mid-tempo rhythm which is accompanied by a distinct guitar pattern. All in all, the result is worth to be added to a list of the best albums in 2016. It was announced Unstable Lands to be his last issue on We Are All Ghosts. By the way, in recent times the artist issued a couple of brand new ones called Descent Into Madness, and Light! Joy! Ascent! I See The Stars In Your Heart.

Brother Saturn - Tales Of Space Exploration 35-42 (2016)

We Are All Ghosts

We Are All Ghosts

• Ethereal Wave
• Modern classical
• Post-rock
• Experimental rock
• Ambient rock
• Abstract
• Soundscape
• Avant-rock
• Epic

Comment: this is another issue in the series of Tales Of Space Exploration by an artist, Drew Miller aka Brother Saturn who continues to explore the ongoing themes of travel, desolation, home and loneliness. However, musically it is startling of how music could be so enthrallingly epic and beautiful that one could not find proper words to describe it for. At least I have some problems to deal with it. More profoundly, its beauty seems to be extended to the point where most of the whole`s chords chime in a minimal, and thereafter abstract way. Lower chords of the guitar are variegated with higher, more theme-leading, majestic ones by an electronic keyboard which in turn consist of light repetitions, slowed down progressions and lone accessory chords. For instance, by listening to I`ve Never Felt This Before chimes like a revelation being pristine and picturesque at the same time. At the time when the winter still continues to show its features while being slightly weakened by some sublime threads of the spring it sounds like an example of seasonal music. By its intimate yet cohesive construction it reminds me slightly of Pan American`s opus Quiet City (2004, Kranky), and Labradford`s music in general. In spite of clocking in at a 82 minute one could not find tired of it at all. Furthermore, thereafter you are very ready to find out Drew Miller`s previous issues, especially those of being a part of the aforesaid series. At the moment it is my most favourite issue being released in 2016 so far. The issue is a part of the discography of We Are All Ghosts.