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Review by Bill Binkelman This EP (twenty-three minutes long) may hold the record for longest CD title! The music is composed by Janet Robbins who employs all manner of electronics (and some acoustic instruments) to craft unusual, yet for the most part, accessible ambient music. There are three tracks on the EP. "At The Heart Of A Spiral Galaxy (M51's Close Encounter)" opens the CD with some "pure" spacemusic, sounding sometimes as if it was actually recorded radio telescope noise from M51 itself (and maybe there is some of that in there). However, there are also times when the music approaches the same deep space feeling of artists like eM. In addition, there are sampled hand drums, retro keyboards (even a mellotron!), twinkling bell tones, as well some contemporary laptop and glitch touches. All of these (and more) coalesce or break off on their own during the track's eight-and-a-half minutes. This probably could not be appreciated as background music, as it's more interesting to don headphones and immerse yourself in the ebb and flow of drama (sometimes the music crosses over into a slightly aggressive mood and then settles back into more floating spacemusic territory). "Voluntary Exile" is serene and calming by comparison to the first song. On this track, Robbins integrates acoustic instruments (piano and strings) with the layers of electronics and keyboards. The mood is still somewhat dark, although the use of piano lightens things up considerably (when piano takes center stage, the electronics are relegated to being more of a background effect). When strings are introduced, I'm tempted to state that this has almost a classical music sound, especially when solo cello winds its way into the mix. Things take an abrupt right turn later and become more abstract, ending with the piano going off on its own, solo, and veering over into subtle dissonant minimalism. "The Beginning" returns to the same territory as the opening song, this time taking on an air of subtle desolation, maybe even despair, as the opening tones carry a whiff of sadness. A warm swelling drone builds up and actually lightens the mood, if you can believe that of a drone! Whirring textures and vague hints of SF/spacy noises can be heard deep in the mix, and once again I would draw comparison to eM's all the stars burning bright. There is a spaciousness to this piece; this is what you might listen to after you are awakened from cryo-sleep and find yourself adrift somewhere in Orion's belt. I'm encouraged that Janet Robbins is making music in a subgenre that is typically overrun with men. I hope the short length of the release doesn't hurt its acceptance, because Carrying the Bag of Hearts... is a brave attempt to craft spacemusic/ambient music that is unusual and unique but doesn't alienate people through overt experimentalism. There is plenty of musicality at work here and I recommend the EP if you want to hear someone who strikes out in new ambient directions. |
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