Anne Garner - Remaking the pearl

November 11, 2005

Tracklist:

1.Home(Dean Honer Mix)

2.She Has(Sub Mix)

3.In Slumber(Richard H Kirk Mix)

4.That Place(Gocat Mix)

5.Home(Decal vs Human Mix)

6.Home (The Last Sound Mix)

7.She Has (Sean Quinn Mix)

8.Fools (Lackluster Mix)

9.Home ( Multiplex Mix)

10.Here Far Away (The Irresistible force Mix)

11.She Has (The Buddy System Mix)

12.Seeds (Ape to tape Mix)

13.Silver Lines(Pylon King Mix)

This is a rather interesting project. The for me unknown Singer/Songwriter Anne Garner has just released her debut album on the Irish label Psychonavigation. Strangely enough it's a remix-album, and even stranger - the original has yet to be released. Open minded fans of varied downbeat electronica, chillout and ambient: Enjoy! Let's take a closer look at the tracks...

01: Home (Dean Honer Mix)

A strong, crystal-clear female voice welcomes you to this album. Used more as an instrument than to deliver a message, Garners voice blends nicely into the dark, almost claustrophobic atmosphere of this track. Might be a turn-off to the die-hard psychillers, but I really like it...Nice opener to the album!

02: She Has (Sub Mix)

Now this is a pretty special track. Still dark, but this is more intense - more beat driven. When I say beatdriven here, think triphop. Think Portishead or Archive on "Londonium". Garners voice is still strong, and when those dark violins kick in I get the shivers. If you enjoy heavy bass-driven triphop - you'll love this.

03: In Slumber - Richard H Krik Mix)

The introduction to this track is a very plesant experience. You feel submerged in water and liquids, and you look forward to the rest of the track. Unfortunately it does not manage to follow the two opening tracks. I find the beat rather annoying, and that "bleep" going off at the same time as the bassdrum - well, it just turns me off. Big time. The melodies sound flat and somewhat uninspired. The mix is made by a pioneer in electronic music, but I have to say I really didn't enjoy this - one to skip.

04: That Place(Gocat Mix)

More upbeat this, and also a very interesting experience. Moving in a lot of different directions with variation in both beat and music. Lot's of knob-tweaking, blips and blops in here as well but it never seems out of place. Garners voice again proves usefull as a powerful instrument.

05: Home( Decal vs. Human Mix)

Now this I dug the hell out of! The track opens with garners voice in focus together with the occational sound. All of a sudden, after about 1:20 the track explodes in a wall of sonic fusion. This reminds me very much of the sound created by the Icelandic band "Sigur Ròs" when they are at their most noisy - which comming from me is a huge compliment. If you're afraid of guitars - be ware... Excellent track!

06:Home(The Last Sound Mix)

This is the third remix of the track "Home", and it's very different from the previous ones. More into the depths of various hectic shifting soundscapes here, the track is beyond recognition. Hints of vocals come in and out every now and then. Not really my cup of tea this, but it's ceirtanly an intense experience. If your not in the right mood this might seem a bit random and chaotic. If you are, however - lean back and enjoy.

07: She Has (Sean Quinn Mix)

Bueautiful music doesn't allways have to be complicated, and this track is proof of that. Driven by a simple beat, a piano and a floating, sort of uplifting atmosphere, this track represents simplicity in a very beautiful form. More please!

08: Fools (Lackluster Mix)

Now for melancholy. Floating is again a keyword, and personally I get completely lost in this track. Again it's not to complicated stuff, but garners eerie voice pulls me away. There is an "elf-like" almost supernatural quality to this. Heals hangovers as well, this track!

09: Home (Multiplex Mix)

"Home" seems to be the track people want to remix, and this is the fourth and last attempt. Once again we're taken into the realms of drifting, almost floating relaxation. Also a few hints of an electropopp'ish vibe here. Not among the strongest tracks on the album, but not bad either.

10: Here Far Away (The Irresistible force Mix)

This track needed quite a few listens before I could fully enjoy it. At first it struck me as total musak, background music of the worst kind. Considdering who had made it I found this rather weird, and I'm quite happy to say it has turned me around and I now enjoy and appreciate it very much. The beat, the flutes, the piano, the voice and the synths create a joyous atmosphere. Still, it's a two-headed monster for me, this track. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I just skip.

11: She Has (The Buddy System Mix)

With this track we enter the world of experimental breakbeats, drifting atmospheres and a lot of rather psychedelic knob-tweaking. very eclectic experience. I mentioned earlier that Garner sounded like an elf...Here she sounds more like a chanting ghost - Goodie!

12: Seedes (Ape to tape Mix)

Sort of a jazzy loungevibe here, but still extremely downbeat. Not the most experimental track on the album, but that isn't a bad thing in this case. Garrners voice is the main focus and it works really well.

13: Silver Linses (Psylon king Mix)

The last track of the album starts off very low-key, but then lurks around for a while and sneaks up behind you. Monotonus and repetitive, but constantly building, adding new elements, new soundscapes and different atmospheres until it fades away into silence. This is very acceptable as the final destination of this journey!

Final ramarks:

This album struck me as a bit of a suprise. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, and I figured this could go either way. Even though two or three of these tracks aren't for me, I'm happy to report that this is an album that will please my ears for a long time to come. Garners voice is by far superior to most vocalists in this "scene", and here it works really well with the music. As a slight warning it could be in order to point out that some of these tracks might sound somewhat "clean" to the die-hard psychedelic purists. If you enjoy good variation within the general theme of intense, chilled electronica however - chances are you'll love(or atleast like) this one!

Tomas (Psychedelic Mustache)

Buy it here:

Saikosounds

Psyshop

Trance-shop

More stuff: www.sonic-energy.net