Ambient Works
Albany, 2021
8/10
An artist who has had much success in the area of commercial and experimental music, Doug Bielmeier brings intricate and skilled computer skills to all originals here, where electroacoustic, ambient and experimental moments are captured via the manipulation of found sound files.
“Another Pilot Down” starts the listen with a dreamy atmosphere of soothing, nearly New Age sounds, and “Backscatter” follows with playful key like gesturing that blends in with a surreal, even spiritual angle where wordless vocals make an impression.
The middle track offers the precise noises of “Photo Lab Sanctuary”, where you might interpret the sounds of traffic or water amid cautious texturing, while “Largo. Montego” enters darker territory that’s capable of ominous ideas as well as adventurous ones.
Approaching the end, “St. Martin’s Summer” embraces spacey nods alongside tension and restraint being tweaked precisely, and “No Time” exits the listen with minimalism turned into an art form as soft, agile instrumentation lends itself to reflection.
Certainly atypical, highly unpredictable and capable of both meditative and exciting gesturing, Bielmeier’s version of ambience is one that’s fascinating, comforting and unusual in all the best ways.
Travels well with: Dave Walther- Distance; Bruce Leto, Jr.- Singing Style