Customer Reviews

Excursions in Ambience 1

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At the time this record was released, it was the first domestic release of an FSOL track. It was the second ambient CD I'd managed to find. (The first was Give Peace a Dance 2, an astounding compilation.) The opening Tranquility Bass track sets the tone: tranquil hypnotic beats, samples over analog synths, hints of ethnic instrument spice. Most of the big names of ambience are represented here. It's a good place to start if you want to know what the genre is all about.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!! It's one of my favorites of all time!!! I've had if for over TEN years, and I still love it! Get it, Get it, Get it!!!

I'll echo and confirm CJ's review. This was one of the first ambient music compilations I ever purchased in the early 90s. While the compilation features many strong tracks in and of itself, including a rare alternate mix of Ultramarine's "Saratoga", what strikes me in hindsight is the remarkable artist selection. Using this disc as a guide, and then acquiring releases from Ultramarine, Banco de Gaia, 777, FSOL, and the Higher Intelligence Agency, one could build a VERY formidable ambient music collection indeed.

This album already sounds dated, but it's still a very good compilation of ambient electronic works. There's also quite a bit of variety, from the cod-Middle Eastern wailing of "Tarenah" to the straightforward "Solid Motion" (pretty chucklesome) and the past-oral beauty of "Past". I've had it since its first release, and still play it occasionally.