*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's February 16th newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) without any algorithmic interference. ***
The Bundanon is a stunning artistic retreat in New South Wales that was gifted to the Australian people in the 90s by respected artist Arthur Boyd and his wife Yvonne in the 1990s so artists could immerse themselves in its distinctive landscape. The culturally diverse estate has a Musicians Hut and that’s where Australian ambient artists Seaworthy and Matt Rösner found themselves for a week.
This is the third album from the duo celebrating the diverse Australian landscape, but it’s also fuelled by the somewhat ironic comment from Arthur Boyd, “You can’t own a landscape“, although to be fair he did sort of return his landscape to the public when he passed away.
Unsurprisingly given the history of the pair the recording is rich in the sounds of their surroundings. Where would ambient music be without the sound of birds? Fortunately though the feathered recordings here are an integral part of the soundscape rather than an ambient afterthought. The local waterway - the Shoalhaven River, and by the sound of it some of its minor tributaries also make an appearance, as do the sounds of some welcome precipitation pattering on a shelter. The recording is low key elemental with the sound of the wind sweeping over the sandtone cliffs, heath and woodlands also captured and carefully integrated.
Nature sounds are wonderful and all that, but they’re rather like that landscape photo from the peak you hiked up last Sunday - sadly unable to capture the full majesty of the view from the top. Don’t get me wrong the boys do their best, and that’s pretty darn good, but fortunately they add some electroacoustic elements to give this audio imagery added depth and vibrancy.
Oddly the electronics aren’t always pretty, sometimes sounding like the distant hum of industrial heating systems, but as with everything in this recording they’re honed and holistic. The icing on the cake though are the sounds of the piano and acoustic guitar. I can just imagine the guys at ease, sitting on the studio porch or nestled in the woodland looking around at the natural splendour, tuning into and being guided by the flora and fauna, the resultant melodic musing weaved into, rather than trying to dominate their surroundings. Honestly the album is great, tune in.
Playlist Companion
Find Seaworthy & Matt Rösner in great horizontal company at the Slow Ambient Playlist.
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