Summertime Ambient Edition: Mind Over Mirrors, Mary Lattimore, Bing & Ruth And Joana Gama
By Aaron Stein Jul 12, 2017 • 10:32 am PDT
Mind Over Mirrors: Undying Color
Now that we’re knee-deep in summer, it’s time to do some serious relaxing. The Weekly RecommNeds is kicking off the second half of the year with some ambient music of different types to help you find that zen state. I’ll start with Mind Over Mirrors, the evolving project of Chicago’s Jaime Fennelly. His music is a slow-morphing, deeply-layered thing centered on synth, pedal harmonium and analog electronics. On Undying Color, he brings in some more accessible hooks as well as vocalists in an artistic vision that is his most powerful and satisfying album yet.
Mary Lattimore: Collected Pieces
Mary Lattimore is a harpist from Philadelphia who uses loops and some electronics to create ethereal tapestries of music. Lattimore has been featured here before, it feels like everything she puts out is a thing of beauty. So even though her latest, Collected Pieces, an album of previously unreleased material gathered from over the years, might sound like a bunch of leftovers, it’s actually (unsurprisingly) quite stunning. These simple, gorgeous instrumental pieces have the feel of something that is deeply personal. Lattimore’s harp defines peacefulness, dreamlike in the best way possible. Tune in and drop out…and if you dig, check in at her Bandcamp page regularly with new tracks popping up apparently whenever the inspiration strikes.
Bing & Ruth: No Home Of The Mind
Composer/pianist David Moore’s project Bing & Ruth has varied in size and style over three albums and the newest one, No Home Of The Mind is a minimalist masterpiece. Here, the ensemble is small: Moore on piano joined by basses, electronic washes and little else. The music moves at a deliberate pace, but it does move you. Emotional resonance in repeated piano chords, rising and falling, eventually shifting ever-so-slightly, just enough to keep you engaged. This is patient, mind-at-rest music for when the mood is right.
Joana Gama: Harmonies
Let’s finish with something a little bit different that still fits the bill for this week…heck, if I can’t turn you on to something different, what am I even doing here? Joana Gama is a Portuguese pianist who has put out music with electronic musician Luis Fernandes in duo. For their newest record, Harmonies, inspired by French composer Erik Satie, they’ve enlisted cellist Ricardo Jacinto to create a wonderfully unique music that bridges modern classical and electronic ambient with an experimental improvisational jazz element. Melodic themes are starting points and suggestions as the musicians pace themselves into exploratory new space. There is some tension throughout, but I think it’ll still be something to relax to. Enjoy!
