by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Mike Sheridan returned to the long playing game in late November 2023 with his first album since 2012. It had been a while in the making, evolving over three years, with the Danish producer taking his time in comparison to his first album I Syv Sind, released in 2008 at the age of 17.

Sheridan has had a good deal of life experience since then, and Atmospherics was planned as a quiet release, almost devoid of melodies. The title refers to electrical disturbances, such as those that occur during a thunderstorm and tamper with wireless signals. Rather than being devoid of melodies, he adds to them with vocal guest slots for Agnes Aldén and Indra-Rios Moore.

What’s the music like?

Very…atmospheric. Sheridan writes in a compelling style however, so while the music works in an ambient context the events on each track do combine to pull the listener in.

He operates in a widescreen environment, established early on with the instrumental Impulse, but there is a lot of detail in the foreground, too. On occasion the dark colours and textures hint at an industrial setting, the listener placed up the end of a large structure while mechanical processes work their way out in a largely ambient way. The interference he speaks about is generally easy on the ear, aiding the ambience rather than interfering with it, but there are moments of unexpected beauty where brief string loops (Impulse, CME), vocals or gentle guitar lines (Strata) make themselves known.

The beats are effective, too, slower patterns that walk forward at an easy pace, but generate a kind of subtle urgency. The vocals are well chosen and ideally spaced, headed by the two contributions from Swedish singer Agnes Aldén – whose turn on the urgent Minds I is particularly good. BYLJA appears on the unexpectedly uptempo Subspace, where the audio scenery suddenly goes past at a quicker rate.

Everything comes together to great effect on the finale. Universal Automation, made with Janus Rasmussen, is a superb piece of work where the beats flick around the edges of a broad sonic canvas like the flames of a candle, before taking over emphatically.

Does it all work?

It does. Sheridan is an impressive composer who writes with no padding – everything is there for a reason, no matter how the ambience is created. This is especially rewarding on headphones when the layers of detail can be fully appreciated.

Is it recommended?

Yes. Mike Sheridan’s brand of electronics may be ambient, but it proves a stimulating listen too.

For fans of… Dave Gahan solo, Trentemøller, Jon Hopkins, The Black Dog

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Published post no.2,060 – Thursday 18 January 2024