Category Archives: Switched On

On Record – Belle Chen: Ravel in the Forest (Platoon)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Pianist-composer Belle Chen draws on the music of Maurice Ravel for this new album, using the French composer’s melodies and piano textures as a starting point for her own response to the place in our lives that forests hold.

For Chen a single experience led her towards this album, a sunset in Australia where she watched a particular tree at sunset in a tropical rainforest. As the sun dipped in the sky the forest came to life, with birds, frogs and other beings becoming animated by the light – an experience that gave her renewed awareness of her place in the ecosystem.

To Ravel’s music Chen adds electronic effects and various techniques to bring extra colour to the upright piano she uses throughout – while some of the pieces are purely original, using the clarity of Ravel’s style for inspiration.

What’s the music like?

This is a classy chill out album – with all the qualities you get from music that you might expect to hear on a peaceful piano playlist, but with added detail that really rewards repeated listening or immersive playbacks on a surround sound system.

Belle Chen has put together some clever arrangements, and when Ravel’s music is in play she is careful not to crowd the melodies in any way. That heart-shifting melody from the slow movement of the Piano Concerto is well-treated on Adagio, San, while the theme from the skittish scherzo in his String Quartet is brilliantly realised in its new guise on Kingdom Animalia.

Adding animal noises to evoke the forest could have been a dangerous move, but again the effects are subtly done – as is also the case with the strings of the Budapest Art Orchestra when used on Moonrise and Closer.

At times the listener is transported far beyond the listening environment to stand in the forest itself, and on tracks like And It Rains the vivid evocation of droplets is enhanced by adding felt to the piano. Three Birds is brilliantly done, too, as is Chen’s evocation of The Dragonfly, realised with rapid passagework on the dampened keys.

Does it all work?

It does, impressively so. Often it can be said that piano chill-out albums become one-dimensional as they progress, but this is different, as Chen keeps subtly varying the textures, the melodies and the emotions to keep the attention of the listener.

Is it recommended?

It is, enthusiastically. Belle Chen has a really appealing and respectful way of interacting with Ravel, using the bones of his material to create an album buzzing with incident and inspiration. Her own original compositions are both original and captivating. As a result, Ravel’s music is successfully reimagined for a 21st century audience.

For fans of… Ravel, Philip Glass, Nils Frahm, Michael Nyman

Listen & Buy

Ravel in the Forest is released on Friday 16 February. You can listen to clips from each track and purchase at the Presto Music website

Published post no.2,083 – Saturday 10 February 2024

On Record – Wil Bolton: Null Point (The Slow Music Movement)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Wil Bolton, a musician and artist based in East London, was persuaded by The Slow Music Movement to create a more beat-based, electronic approach to his ambient works. They set him this goal after a long period of successful ambient works written largely free of beats, but here he sets to work with rhythm tracks generated with the help of a vintage 7” of heart sounds.

What’s the music like?

Perhaps not surprisingly the pulse of the music here tends towards the slow side, unfolding with an easy manner and a charming sub-set of friendly bleeps, pockets of ambient wide noise and consonant harmonies that perform subtle shapeshifting moves in the foreground.

They proceed with an incredibly relaxed manner, the listener immediately put at ease while they are taken into a colourful area of textures that ripple gradually or move in and out of focus, the musical light dappled and refracted as part of an ongoing process.

With all of the tracks over five minutes in length there is time for the listener to dive deep into each of the six sound worlds, with soft nuggets of rhythm prompting and nudging at each turn. Patina is a great example, the subtle percussion complemented by long, held notes and pockets of synthesizer activity that sits on the edge of dub music. Sandalwood is a little sharper in tone while Rails Overhead is relatively dark.

Does it all work?

It does – but Null Point is definitely most effective as a continuous listen over 40 minutes, allowing the mind and aural responses to slow down in line with its workings.

Is it recommended?

Yes. Null Point is not a dead end, as its title suggests – rather it is a place to go where listeners can feel safe from musical harm! Slower heart rates and lower blood pressure are a given as a result.

For fans of… Marconi Union, Ultramarine, Brian Eno, Ulrich Schnauss

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,081 – Thursday 8 February 2024

On Record – Nick Schofield: Ambient Ensemble (Backward Music)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

In which Nick Schofield spreads his wings, expanding from solo synth performance to include an ensemble that keeps keyboards front and centre but leans on piano, adding bass, voice, clarinet and violin.

What’s the music like?

Colourful and bursting with growth, the sort of music you might expect to hear with the advent of spring. The track titles are indicative of the music we hear – from the short Meadows to the more substantial Resonant World, these are character pieces that paint their surroundings in rather lovely technicolour.

With tracks like On Air, Schofield is most definitely operating with his mind outside of the studio, as the clarinet burbles, the violins swell and reverberant piano is caught ‘on the wing’. evoking big spaces and wide-open textures. Generally the piano is at the centre of the arguments, which are – as Schofield’s Bandcamp commentary states – convivial.

Fine Tune has deep colours, rich blues and purples perhaps, while Joy Cry builds up whole consonant harmonies with prayerful violin loops. Morning Doves uses mottled piano chords with playful clarinet and violins evoke the birds, and while Resonant World employs similar tactics the piano loop is reminiscent of Stravinsky. Heartfelt has a whiff of Acker Bilk about the clarinet work, in a good way!

Does it all work?

It does. There may not be immediately obvious melodies in Schofield’s work here but after a few listens the fragments and loops prove very hummable. The textures are extremely restful, and credit should go to the musicians – Philippe Charbonneau (fretless and double bass), Yolande Laroche (clarinet and voice) and violinist Mika Posen.

Is it recommended?

It is – and Ambient Ensemble has some very attractive colours to share as its tableaus unfold.

For fans of… Group Listening, Cinematic Orchestra, Bonobo

Listen & Buy

Ambient Ensemble will be released on Friday 9 February – a listening link will appear here then.

Published post no.2,080 – Wednesday 7 February 2024

Let’s Dance – John Tejada & Silent Servant: The Monitors (Redux) (Palette Recordings)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

While it is great to report a redux of The Monitors single originally released on vinyl in 2011, it takes place in tragic circumstances – for the death of Silent Servant – aka Juan Mendez – was announced only two weeks ago.

The two were good mates and frequent collaborators, and as you will read from this excellent interview and tribute, John Tejada decided to press ahead with the release in tribute to a dear friend. Mendez contributed the design, as well as updating the drum tracks – while Tejada gave the release a fresh master.

The two have a rich history in electronic music, sharing a release in 1995 on Cytrax – and as Tejada points out, this is one of his final releases on Palette Recordings.

What’s the music like?

This is classic instrumental techno. Control makes itself known with a solid beat, which drops out to introduce the main subject, a repetitive and minimal riff in close harmony that sounds close up to the ear, but is put in perspective by clips of much more distant vocals. Towards the end the driving rhythm drops away to leave an atmospheric musical cloud.

Protection starts with the same riff and a spoken word segment in the middle distance. “Depend on The Monitors”, the public address says…and the track kicks into gear with a more intimate feel this time. That is enhanced by the addition of warmer pad sounds.

Does it all work?

Yes – the pair complement each other really well.

Is it recommended?

You know what to do – this is classy Detroit techno given a polish but sadly loaded with extra poignancy. A fitting memorial to a talent who will be much missed.

You can read a tribute to Silent Servant by the Guardian here

For fans of… both Silent Servant and John Tejada, also Terrence Dixon, Kenny Larkin

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,076 – Saturday 3 February 2024

Let’s Dance – Various Artists: Kaleidoscope Vol. 1 (ZEF Music)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

There is very little padding with the press release from ZEF Music for their first label compilation. Straight to the point, it reads, “We are proud to presents our first compilation, a Kaleidoscope of emerging artists destined to shape the future of electronic music. With an infusion of deep house and melodic techno, our Various Artists Vol. 1 is a testament to the boundless creativity and innovation pulsating within the underground scene.”

What’s the music like?

The bold claims made by the label are largely fulfilled – as the seven tracks here are all high quality. Akkam’s Freeze sets the tone, a really classy piece of Moroder-inflected electro disco – and Cuprite’s Asid is a great night time panorama. The brooding Spirit from Cyclone is deeper and darker, with rippling synth lines, while James De Torres’ Perseidas has a more mechanical edge, industrial even. Kirwan’s Dark Space is excellent, an urgent beat with vocals in the middle ground, and Qiel’s With You is likewise, a great shape shifting bit of club music. That leaves Tarantula, a suitably busy cut laced with dark textures from Mark (BR).

Does it all work?

It does. The melodic invention is not always to the fore, but that doesn’t matter when the beats and production are on point, as they are throughout.

Is it recommended?

It is – ZEF Music are ones to watch, providing stimulating music for the deeper side of house and techno.

For fans of… the deeper, darker side.

Listen & Buy

You can listen to clips from this release and explore purchase options at the Beatport website

Published post no.2,073 – Wednesday 31 January 2024