Elve - Infinite Garden [2006]

[blueOrb]

 

Title - Infinite Garden

Label - Virtual Reality Music

Format - CD

Genre - Ambient, Minimal

Release Date - 2006

Purchase At -

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/vwr/vwr1cd002.html

Links -

http://www.v-i-r-t-u-a-l-w-o-r-l-d.com/

 

Tracklist -

 

1 Vale (13:23)

2 Elvish Tea (2:26)

3 Utoia (10:04)

4 Luminessence (3:34)

5 Aeolian Woods (1:54)

6 Mozaic Rain (2:45)

7 Sunshine Windmill (3:21)

8 Mycelium Dawn (5:31)

9 Sycamore Breeze (1:11)

10 Cyantium Flower (9:58)

11 Summerset Hill (6:25)

12 Autumn Leaves (2:41)

13 Awaken (3:05)

 

Writing a review for Ishwara’s Infinite Garden has been tough job. I’ve had the disc for almost 2 months but I still haven’t been able to come up with a review that would do justice to the depths presented within the gentle maze of sounds.

 

“Elve” is one of the alter egos of “Matt Hillier”, who’s know for his rich percussive ambient compositions as “Ishq” or “Ishwara”. Launched as the second release on his own label “Virtual Reality Music”, “Infinite Garden” explores a warm organic and much more minimal sound that’s meant to accompany the listener’s lucid state rather then engaging them. As the title suggests the theme of the album is a tribute to nature and all things green, prepare your senses to leave all the hustle behind and focus only on the music.

 

To capture the true essence of the album it’s apt to ensure the surrounding one listens to the album complements the passive and relaxing mood. A track by track review is of no use here, ‘Infinite Garden’ is one cohesive unit ready to be explored.

 

The sounds are composed of heavenly choirs, ethereal synth pads, and peaceful soundscape showcasing a mesmerising union between nature and machine along with all sorts of natural sounds from chirping birds, rain forest murmurs to sounds from the microscopic living world all fused within indistinguishable yet ingenious electronic patters reflecting on our dynamic yet structured environment.

 

‘Matt’ is definitely in a league of his own. ‘Infinite Garden’ is for minimal and ambient music connoisseurs and it makes me sad to think that people with a fickle mind may never be able to recognise the genius behind this release.

 

9/10

[AppA]

If there is any chance of coming across this jewel without the tower price, I'll get it

[yeti]

 

Title - Infinite Garden

Label - Virtual Reality Music

Format - CD

Genre - Ambient, Minimal

Release Date - 2006

Purchase At -

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/vwr/vwr1cd002.html

Links -

http://www.v-i-r-t-u-a-l-w-o-r-l-d.com/

 

Tracklist -

 

1 Vale (13:23)

2 Elvish Tea (2:26)

3 Utoia (10:04)

4 Luminessence (3:34)

5 Aeolian Woods (1:54)

6 Mozaic Rain (2:45)

7 Sunshine Windmill (3:21)

8 Mycelium Dawn (5:31)

9 Sycamore Breeze (1:11)

10 Cyantium Flower (9:58)

11 Summerset Hill (6:25)

12 Autumn Leaves (2:41)

13 Awaken (3:05)

 

Writing a review for Ishwara’s Infinite Garden has been tough job. I’ve had the disc for almost 2 months but I still haven’t been able to come up with a review that would do justice to the depths presented within the gentle maze of sounds.

 

“Elve” is one of the alter egos of “Matt Hillier”, who’s know for his rich percussive ambient compositions as “Ishq” or “Ishwara”. Launched as the second release on his own label “Virtual Reality Music”, “Infinite Garden” explores a warm organic and much more minimal sound that’s meant to accompany the listener’s lucid state rather then engaging them. As the title suggests the theme of the album is a tribute to nature and all things green, prepare your senses to leave all the hustle behind and focus only on the music.

 

To capture the true essence of the album it’s apt to ensure the surrounding one listens to the album complements the passive and relaxing mood. A track by track review is of no use here, ‘Infinite Garden’ is one cohesive unit ready to be explored.

 

The sounds are composed of heavenly choirs, ethereal synth pads, and peaceful soundscape showcasing a mesmerising union between nature and machine along with all sorts of natural sounds from chirping birds, rain forest murmurs to sounds from the microscopic living world all fused within indistinguishable yet ingenious electronic patters reflecting on our dynamic yet structured environment.

 

‘Matt’ is definitely in a league of his own. ‘Infinite Garden’ is for minimal and ambient music connoisseurs and it makes me sad to think that people with a fickle mind may never be able to recognise the genius behind this release.

 

9/10

Correct, but if I had to pick one favourite track out, it's "Cyantium Flower"

[abasio]

Another album that I really enjoyed but couldn't find the words to describe.

Brilliant just like ishq

[blueOrb]

@yeti

 

yes 'Cyantium Flower' would be my pick too :-)

[abasio]

Elve

Infinite Garden

Virtual Musical Reality

2006

Ambient

 

Tracklist

 

1 Vale (13:23)

2 Elvish Tea (2:26)

3 Utoia (10:04)

4 Luminessence (3:34)

5 Aeolian Woods (1:54)

6 Mozaic Rain (2:45)

7 Sunshine Windmill (3:21)

8 Mycelium Dawn (5:31)

9 Sycamore Breeze (1:11)

10 Cyantium Flower (9:58)

11 Summerset Hill (6:25)

12 Autumn Leaves (2:41)

13 Awaken (3:05)

 

Well Matt Hillier is back again under yet a different name with an even more relaxed album. On first listening to this I really couldn't get into this, it was too relaxed. It's beatless & I had it on in the background. It's definitely an album that needs to be focused on. I should have put in on in headphones and closed my eyes.

It's really natural, light & beautiful ambient. Very minimal with with birdsong and sounds of the river & the wind. You have to listen carefully to let the whole world represented here to unfold.

 

1. Vale

Children playing, birds singing, a stream running through the countryside is all we hear for the first few minutes before a really light synth drone comes in over big plopping sounds that sound like it's water played on bamboo canes. Even the blatantly electronic sounds manage to be green & natural. Someone sings a song I can't quite make out but it sounds childlike & innocent & leaves me wanting more. The other vocals though sound more like a muttered conversation than a song. The song comes back but it's not a voice this time, it's been twisted beyond my recognition into an instrument. I'm left wondering if it's a voice or not, and if it is a voice if it's a child's or an adults, if it's a boy's or a girl's. As that leaves we are once again left with just the rustle of the wind, he birds & the water.

 

2. Elvish Tea

The birds lead us into Elvish Tea & the sounds of the elves can be heard briefly before they are drowned out by the reply from the God they are talking to. Very powerful sounds dissipate & leave me with a sense of awe & the rain.

 

3. Utoia

If nature is an industry, creating life & sustaining it's existence & trying to grow then this track represents natural industrial ambient. It has all the mechanical structured heavy sounds you'll usually find in industrial ambient but all using very natural sounds. I'm put in mind of a vast forest & in the centre the trees come alive and work at creating new trees & animals to grow & populate. A natural factory in the forest clearing.

A difficult concept to get your head around, you might just have to listen to understand.

 

4. Luminessence

A downpour of light made into sound drenches me in mild euphoria. This acts as a bridge to the Aolian woods.

 

5. Aeolian Woods

Once again the birds carry me into the woods for a short time. The river flows & the birds sing while someone half plays a familiar Chinese instrument, a very serene moment. I can just imagine the sun lighting up the moss on the rocks, the leaves on the trees & glistening on the river.

 

6. Mosaic Rain

The sound of real rain, amazingly pouring down. A half melody plays over it but my mind is captivated by the sound of the rain. I love this sound so much I could happily listen to a whole CD of just this it's so beautiful. With the birds in the background the rain stops

7. Sunshine Windmill

After the rain must come the sun & the sun beams down on this track. It feels like green feels in summer with every colour lit up. A rushing sound goes unnoticed until it stops leaving a tiny melody all alone.

 

8. Mycelium Dawn

Warm melodious sounds play tunelessly but beautifully. Each sound rises & falls at the same time. Faint mist can be heard behind the tuneless melody summing up the atmosphere of suspended falling.

9. Sycamore Breeze

An ever so slight melody played on a cello can just about be heard at the start here but it fades into imperceptibility & leaves only a flute, the water & the birds.

 

10. Cyantium Flower

Ethereal voices sing a beautiful song. The most prominent vocals on the whole CD are complimented by some trippy little electronic sounds & some soft natural ones but the vocals are definitely the focal point and they fill my head with their song. Halfway through a godlike drone washes them away & we are left with just the electronic sounds. A natural wind though tries to fight back & tries to bring the nature with it. Synths rush in & electronica wins out but it all still feels very real, very green & very natural like a genuine fake of nature. When all the electronica fades away we can here the real nature, the distant rushing of water, in the background.

 

11. Summerset Hill

Imagine the top of a hill overlooking a forest & a river, in the distance are other hills and there is not a road or a building or any other people anywhere in sight. Now imagine that you are lying on your back on top of that hill on a warm summer's day watching the cloud patterns in the sky. That is Summerset Hill, beautifully relaxed & the only other signs of life are some sheep in the distance.

 

12. Autumn Leaves

A slightly colder track has a driving rhythm as such that an ambient track can drive. It moves about very briefly then fades into nothingness.

13. Awaken

The last track leaves us with the sounds previously visited in the Infinite Garden. The sound of rain, birds calling to each other and little bits of electronic melody.

 

 

Well Matt Hillier has treated us again to an ambient masterpiece. A very natural album & this time the electronic elements don't just work well with the natural ones they seem very natural themselves, very green. Not quite the story of Magic Square of the Sun but a nice relaxed stay in a natural environment.

This CD is possibly the opposite of Dark Psy. It's completely beatless & each sound is beautiful, blended in to the rest of the music & sets the brain into journey mode.

It may take some time to get into, but it's definitely worth it.