Artist: Robert Rich

Album: Filaments

Genre: Ambient/Electronica

Review by Morpheus Music Reviews

STYLE

Robert Rich explores a fascination with the beguiling nature of existence and our unique place in the universe through a series of luminescent, rhythmic ambient compositions. Heaving up out of darkness, Filaments early on establishes a great shadowy expanse through which twinkling threads, welling waves and rippling sequencer patterns ebb and flow. Not dissimilar in nature to Electric Ladder, Filaments features a variety of bright cycling patterns that gradually evolve and shift, a coruscating contrast to the drifting beds of swaying drones and lightly wafting steel guitar strains. Sleeve notes list instruments included as “MOTM and Euro modular, DSI P12 and Pro2, Lap Steel Guitars (by Todd Plummer and Morrell), Korg Wavestation and M3, zither, piano, Eowave Ribbon and Resonator, various other instruments.” There are passages here of delicate beauty, that send the emotions gently soaring; regions of deep introspective, slow-motion eddying; currents of glimmering brilliance where layered synthetic latticeworks spiral and repeat.

ARTWORK

Filaments is delivered in a sharp three-section digipack. The front cover painting is of a peculiar organic flower-like form draped with gossamer filaments that seem to issue from within and to cloak everything in billowing layers. The rear cover holds a darker, closer image of a similar subject, track titles bright against the gloom. Here are credits and recording details along with brief thanks. The final outer panel unfolds to present a detailed discussion of the inspirations behind the sounds. Within, all three panels are given over to a panoramic painting of three reflective spheres sparkling with scintillations of light.

OVERALL

Ambient, experimental musician/composer Robert Rich worked on Filaments between 2012 and 2014, releasing the completed album via Soundscape Productions in January of this year. There are nine tracks on the disc: six are relatively brief at around four to five minutes; two are extended pieces closer to ten minutes. In total the whole clocks in at just short of an hour’s music. There is a delightful sense of wonder permeating much of the music that is nicely in keeping with the theme as well as an ongoing natural harmony and consonance. Find out more about Filaments and the thoughts behind the music (including the intriguiging track titles) at Robert Rich.