Frozen Thoughts
Calm Before the Storm
Glacial Movements
This calm extends from before the storm, through its climax, and well into the cleanup. Like all of the ambient soundscapes that Glacial Movements produces, this is music that hews closely to the Brian Eno School of rhythm-free, melody-free ambient environmental audio experiences. There are some conventional instruments lurking here; I hear little tinkly-piano-rhythm, heartbeat-rate pulses off in the distance, but mainly it’s an aura of ethereal noise, not annoying but not all that huggable.
Tracks are all late-night FM long, the shortest clocking at 9:26, but that isn’t the important metric, it’s that hypnotic state of mind you’re aiming for here. The hypnosis begins with rainsticks and a swelling noise front, soon you’re blanketed in that drone that occupies the coach cabin of any random transcontinental flight. Long dead spaces separate tracks, then humanity arrives: feet tread on gravel, crickets come out amid a mild suburban noise-scape, a synthetic bird tweets on a wind chime, and time passes as you stare at your watch hoping to see the second hand tick.
Excellent ambience, and if I were any more relaxed right now I’d… take… a… (yawn)… nap. G’night…
