Various – Midday Moon - Ambient And Experimental Music From Australia And New Zealand 1980 - 1995

    Various – Midday Moon – Ambient And Experimental Music From Australia And New Zealand 1980 – 1995

    05 Apr

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    Label: Bedroom Suck Records ‎– BSR – 082
    Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Compilation
    Country: Australia
    Released: 2018
    Genre: Electronic
    Style: Ambient, Experimental

    Midday Moon is a gorgeous compilation of Ambient and Experimental music that emerged from Australia and New Zealand between 1980 and 1995. Most tracks are taken from micro-labels, private pressings and personal archives, and would be next to impossible to find in their original forms.

    Across the 4 sides we are treated to a variety of beautiful floaty keyboards, distant ethereal vocals and a sense that time has almost slowed to a stop. I can’t say there’s too much variation in how things sound, nor will I say it’s essential listening if you are already into Ambient music, as there is nothing strictly new or different here but it’s definitely worth hearing if you want to hear some esoteric dreamlike sounds from Down Under.

    A favourite track is “My Lips are Moving” by Free Radicals, with its spacious and hazy guitar, it sounds like almost like the Cocteau Twins in slow motion.

    As we move to the second disc, things start to get a bit more experimental rather than ambient. “Starzones” by Ros Brandt sounds like you are standing in the middle of a frozen Ice cave with bright blue crystal drops of water all around you. The final track As Darkness Falls by Errol H Tout is a standout and reminds me of the Durutti Column, but most definitely its own thing.

    As a Graphic Designer, I was immediately taken by the gorgeous packaging, thick sleeves and extensive liner notes. The sleeve design really compliments the music inside, it almost looks geographical in the same way Brian Eno’s Ambient series reflects what the music sounds like.
    The 2xLP set sounds great too, quiet pressings and surprisingly dynamic (considering some of the music have been taken from private tapes).

    If you’re a fan of the amazing New Age compilation “I am the Center” this one is definitely for you.

    Track listing

    A1 –Not Drowning, Waving Frogs 1:37
    A2 –Mark Pollard* Quinque II 9:56
    A3 –Blair Greenberg Beach 3:41
    A4 –John Heussenstamm Sawan 4:39
    A5 –Beyond The Fringe (2) Guitar Fantasia 1:20
    B1 –Meera Atkinson White 1:05
    B2 –Free Radicals (4) My Lips Are Moving 4:24
    B3 –John Elder (2) Again 4:00
    B4 –Helen Ripley-Marshall Under The Sun 4:45
    B5 –Blair Greenberg Rainforest 4:03
    B6 –Sam Mallet Westgate Bridge At Dawn 3:58
    C1 –Garry Havrillay Temple 1:53
    C2 –Ros Bandt Starzones 13:38
    C3 –John Elder (2) Wayayisma Petra 5:00
    D1 –Sam Mallet Stream Daimons’ Speak 5:09
    D2 –Blair Greenberg Gleaming 5:09
    D3 –Robert Bleeker Glowing Trombones 4:24
    D4 –Tom Kazas Blankets Of Ice 6:47
    D5 –Errol H. Tout As Darkness Falls 3:19

     

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