Favorite track(s): Fire Ritual, Lightseeker
Label(s): self-release
Release date: 31 August 2024
FFO: Berlin-school, dark ambient, cinematic ambient
Genres: Ambient, Downtempo, Drone
On Asha Patera’s latest album, Illumine, the UK-based ambient and electronic musician creates songs that teeter on the edge of the abyss, peering into the firmament with somber intent, though never fully succumbing to the darker impulses, guiding listeners on a journey toward the light. But be warned: danger lurks in the metallic surges from watery depths, glissandos from the farthest reaches of the cosmos, charcoal belching bass drones, sparse luminous guitars, and glaciated soundscapes. This is a well-crafted album of intense beauty – in short, a miraculous record from start to finish.
The opening arpeggio on “Form of Energy” gently percolates from the ether, a cocoon of echoes, like the reverberations of forgotten dreams. Mystery and nostalgia emanate from the sonic palette in an airy swaddle of buffeted memories.
Metallic horn-like pulses on “Auspex” suggest darker territory and ultimately give way to luminous guitar strums. The occasional distant pad murmurs along masterfully – post-rock vibes in an ambient wrapper.
The brief “Unbalanced” conjures luminous beings bouncing on the rim of darkness – mildly dissonant moments careen into the sonic field and lilt away gently.
Gently percussive bells (reminiscent of late 1980s Japanese environmental music) blend seamlessly with a deeply resonant bass on “Spectacle In Flight” while the overlays of spacey drones and a muffled voice (as if through a radio encountering interference) create a mystical aura – communication from a being beyond.
The darkly Berlin-school inspired rhythmic arpeggio on “Fire Ritual” slowly builds the song’s tension and a pair of cinematic drops. The quiet outro remains haunting long after the song ends.
The gritty pulsing bass and gently warbling roulade in “Exposure” warn the listener of the impending breach of the light. Here, we’re introduced to a longer version of the statement from our obscurely communicating friend, a cosmic invocation to step into the light and accept what we cannot change.
Intensely droning pads and pulses on “Lightseeker” build to a metallic, cathartic cacophony – an alien language conjoined with radiant light to banish darkness – we emerge from the purifying gleam cleaner and more focused.
As we “Return From The Lakes,” the melancholy atmosphere evokes a reminiscing for our former selves – no regrets in the gentle pads and sweeps, but an acceptance of the gift of light, streaming through storm clouds, crepuscular rays and majestic visions.
“Indicina” is the inverted twin of “Exposure” – returning to the themes and voices introduced earlier, but reforming them into something new and more intense. The darkness is gone – only the light remains and we shine in its luster. “That’s all we are,” echoes the voice.
With the synth stabs on “Thing of the Past,” we delve into the watery depths of memory, summoning the strength to carry on, embracing the light and all that it illuminates, fully aware of what we’ve lost, but determined to move forward.
The expansive closer, “Tonnant,” summons a summer vibe with its gently metallic pads, bass thrums, and field recordings of conversations, seagulls, and children playing that meander in and out.
Throughout “Illumine,” several threads emerge and are woven together: memory and change, acceptance and perseverance, darkness and illumination. As listeners, we’ve journeyed from the inception of an energetic process to its final astonishing brightness, guided by Asha Patera’s masterful compositions.
