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Ginnungagap is a project of Stephen O'Malley, famous from doom drone metal band Sunn O))), Khanate, etc... On Remeindre he teams up with Anthony Sylvester and Alexander Tucker to cover a broad palette of instruments, including ethnic and folk instruments such as tamboura, harmonium, sruti box, singing bowl, mandolin, and bulbul tarang, as well as acoustic guitars, classical guitar, farfisa, and Juno-106 keyboard.
Remeindre is released in two formats on two different labels, both of which feature original artwork by Alexander Tucker. The CD is released by Southern Records on their limited edition Latitudes series. It was recorded from 14 to 16 December, 2004, in the Southern studios in London, and is limited to 1000 copies. Unfortunately, it is sold out, so you'd have to find it used somewhere. All Latitudes releases come in really nice packaging, designed by Stephen O'Malley. Other bands that have recorded on Latitudes include Grails, Shit & Shine, Circle, and Sir Richard Bishop. The LP version was released in the summer of 2006 by Aurora Borealis. The LP comes in two colors, white or clear, and is limited to 700 copies, also already sold out. It features a translucent vellum insert with artwork printed in bronze.
The record opens with "Duel Ravens", featuring a poignantly plucked tamboura pattern over a bed of acoustic bowed drone. A periodic chime decorates and completes the ritualistic, slow marching sounds of hooded monks... Overtones grow in complexity as more instruments are added to the mix, contributing texture and depth to the backing drone. A mandolin is added to the tamboura theme and wavering pulses introduce an augmentation that resolves to the central chord and then back repeatedly. Wordless vocals are added at the end in a sort of droning chant. This track introduces the general vibe of the record: meditative, slightly dark, acoustic ambience, psychedelic folk drones. The atmosphere is heavy, something you'd expect from O'Malley, but the acoustic and folk nature of the sounds is surprising. It sounds great though -something new and fresh and very interesting.
"Guenevere of the Ganges" is the next track, and it also begins with tamboura interplay which establishes the tonality and a mystical resonance. Harmonium enters to fill the gaps in the soundspace with a three-note sequence that ends up taking over as the theme. A bowed instrument (I'm not sure what) begins a pulsing drone which gives a real sense of movement to the piece. Things seem to be flowing a little more quickly here, very much like a river, as the title suggests. There is an immediacy to the sounds, there's no processing or effects... It's all acoustic which adds to the folk sensibility, even if there is no melody present.
The third track, "Black Snow, Blood Mountain", gets going with the familiar tamboura, but soon an underlying vocal emerges; a pulsating hum in a low register which gives a meditative feeling. An acoustic guitar embellishes the tamboura theme as the vocals are sampled and begin to grow, creating a buzzing texture. Improvised sruti box (I think) tinkles in, wandering about over the growing vocal murmurs. The sound is very modal, due to the tamboura's limited tonalities, which helps keep things in drone-mode. The vocals here are similar to what Alexander Tucker has experimented with on occasion in his solo albums.
The record closes with "Aurgelmir", which features the only electronic sounds. These are produced by O'Malley's keyboard playing, which in combination with the harmonium produces a dissonant pulsing drone. A thick analogue texture is established before the vocals come in -a low, guttural, monotone chant and higher pitched wails. Overall a very tense atmosphere exists here, as the sounds get muddier and muddier till it reminds me very much of that eerie vocal piece from the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack. The entire track is basically a mass of cacophonous voices over a pulsating, dissonant chord cluster. Definitely the most unsettling moment of the record here at the end.
Remeindre is an album for fans of Stephen O'Malley's many projects, but especially The Lotus Eaters and Aethenor, as well as other folk-drone, doom folk, or ambient drone acts such as Alexander Tucker's solo works, Wolfmangler, or Encomiast. Ginnungagap's releases are all in a somewhat similar vein, but they do not all sound alike. Remeindre is definitely the one with the most folk influence. Really the only one. Crashed Like Wretched Moth (released as one-sided white vinyl by Conspiracy Records) explores doomy ambient droning sounds of a piano, and the 1000% Downer EP combines field recordings with atonal ambient noise, dissonance, wandering vocals, and drones. All releases, besides being limited editions and often hard to get a hold of, have been EP length. They have yet to record a full-length album.
I would give this album an 8 out of 10. Though it is repetitive and doesn't vary too greatly from track to track, it features an incredible sound... a wonderful combination of eastern ethnic instrumentation, improvisation, and dark drone. Plus the packaging for both formats is really beautiful. It's definitely worth seeking out.
Daan
Remeindre is released in two formats on two different labels, both of which feature original artwork by Alexander Tucker. The CD is released by Southern Records on their limited edition Latitudes series. It was recorded from 14 to 16 December, 2004, in the Southern studios in London, and is limited to 1000 copies. Unfortunately, it is sold out, so you'd have to find it used somewhere. All Latitudes releases come in really nice packaging, designed by Stephen O'Malley. Other bands that have recorded on Latitudes include Grails, Shit & Shine, Circle, and Sir Richard Bishop. The LP version was released in the summer of 2006 by Aurora Borealis. The LP comes in two colors, white or clear, and is limited to 700 copies, also already sold out. It features a translucent vellum insert with artwork printed in bronze.
The record opens with "Duel Ravens", featuring a poignantly plucked tamboura pattern over a bed of acoustic bowed drone. A periodic chime decorates and completes the ritualistic, slow marching sounds of hooded monks... Overtones grow in complexity as more instruments are added to the mix, contributing texture and depth to the backing drone. A mandolin is added to the tamboura theme and wavering pulses introduce an augmentation that resolves to the central chord and then back repeatedly. Wordless vocals are added at the end in a sort of droning chant. This track introduces the general vibe of the record: meditative, slightly dark, acoustic ambience, psychedelic folk drones. The atmosphere is heavy, something you'd expect from O'Malley, but the acoustic and folk nature of the sounds is surprising. It sounds great though -something new and fresh and very interesting.
"Guenevere of the Ganges" is the next track, and it also begins with tamboura interplay which establishes the tonality and a mystical resonance. Harmonium enters to fill the gaps in the soundspace with a three-note sequence that ends up taking over as the theme. A bowed instrument (I'm not sure what) begins a pulsing drone which gives a real sense of movement to the piece. Things seem to be flowing a little more quickly here, very much like a river, as the title suggests. There is an immediacy to the sounds, there's no processing or effects... It's all acoustic which adds to the folk sensibility, even if there is no melody present.
The third track, "Black Snow, Blood Mountain", gets going with the familiar tamboura, but soon an underlying vocal emerges; a pulsating hum in a low register which gives a meditative feeling. An acoustic guitar embellishes the tamboura theme as the vocals are sampled and begin to grow, creating a buzzing texture. Improvised sruti box (I think) tinkles in, wandering about over the growing vocal murmurs. The sound is very modal, due to the tamboura's limited tonalities, which helps keep things in drone-mode. The vocals here are similar to what Alexander Tucker has experimented with on occasion in his solo albums.
The record closes with "Aurgelmir", which features the only electronic sounds. These are produced by O'Malley's keyboard playing, which in combination with the harmonium produces a dissonant pulsing drone. A thick analogue texture is established before the vocals come in -a low, guttural, monotone chant and higher pitched wails. Overall a very tense atmosphere exists here, as the sounds get muddier and muddier till it reminds me very much of that eerie vocal piece from the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack. The entire track is basically a mass of cacophonous voices over a pulsating, dissonant chord cluster. Definitely the most unsettling moment of the record here at the end.
Remeindre is an album for fans of Stephen O'Malley's many projects, but especially The Lotus Eaters and Aethenor, as well as other folk-drone, doom folk, or ambient drone acts such as Alexander Tucker's solo works, Wolfmangler, or Encomiast. Ginnungagap's releases are all in a somewhat similar vein, but they do not all sound alike. Remeindre is definitely the one with the most folk influence. Really the only one. Crashed Like Wretched Moth (released as one-sided white vinyl by Conspiracy Records) explores doomy ambient droning sounds of a piano, and the 1000% Downer EP combines field recordings with atonal ambient noise, dissonance, wandering vocals, and drones. All releases, besides being limited editions and often hard to get a hold of, have been EP length. They have yet to record a full-length album.
I would give this album an 8 out of 10. Though it is repetitive and doesn't vary too greatly from track to track, it features an incredible sound... a wonderful combination of eastern ethnic instrumentation, improvisation, and dark drone. Plus the packaging for both formats is really beautiful. It's definitely worth seeking out.
Daan