DeepChord – 20 Electrostatic Soundfields

Finally picked up the last of the modern DeepChord albums and once again its awesome. Rod's deep bass mixes so well with the soft and soothing highs. He's really got his signature sound down to a science. Love it so much!

Deepchord goes mostly ambient with 20 ELECTROSTATIC SOUNDFIELDS, a furthering of their sound and their ethos. From the quick intro from “Driftwood” to the subdued throbs of “De Wallen,” Deepchord seems much more interested in sound sculpture than in capturing grooves. And that’s not a bad thing since attention to sonic detail has always been a hallmark of theirs. Sure enough, the harmonic drone of “Lavender” offers a soporific break before the quasi-ethnic percussion of “Prayer Wheel” sneaks in. For each track, he offers different textures, from the haze of “Whispering Pines” to the floating grit of “Plankton.” “Aerosphere” finally brings in a traditional rhythm, though it’s submerged in the mix, like a heartbeat that animates the lighter tones above it that grow warmer as the track progresses, while “Oceanic” is content to ride the waves. “Fern” brings the dub elements to the fore, amongst thick layers of sound, while “Barcelona” returns to the mixture of field recordings and sustained ambience. “Lotus Leaves” offers a breather of hiss and crackle, before “Amsterdam Remnant 6” chugs into life with more traditional dub techno that goes even deeper with “Seaweed.” The church bells of “Trompettersteeg” ring through the electronic miasma, before “Day’s End” and “Rooftop” ease out entirely. A fascinating, not surprising, and surprisingly good change of pace.

"Aerosphere" is just amazing. The main track of this album with shiny and dreamy track "Barcelona"

This time something a bit different from the great Rod Modell. The album features recordings made from 2008-2012 in cities such as Amsterdam and Barcelona. Very hypnotic and hazy sounds which are perfect for when you just want to listen to ambient soundscapes DC style. I'm not really a fan of the extra short (minute) tracks but it shows that Rod is experimenting with different outcomes in order to create a very succinct record.

My favorite tracks are De Wallen, Prayer Wheel (this one is a must listen), Aerosphere, Fern and Barcelona.

Check this one out if you're a fan of ambient techno, you'll be in for a treat.