Artist : Ryan Teague
Title : Coins & Crosses
Genre : Ambient / Electronic
Year : 2006
Date : Oct-2006
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks : 09
Label : Type Records TYPE015
Source : CDDA
Length : 50:29 min
Size : 73,1 MB
Tracklist:
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01.introit 01:18
02.coins and crosses 06:07
03.nephesch 07:26
04.tableau i 02:50
05.fantasia for string orchestra 08:58
06.accidia 06:25
07.seven keys 05:56
08.tableau ii 03:28
09.rounds 08:01
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50:29 min
Coins and crosses is the eagerly awaited full length debut
from UK composer Ryan Teague. It follows on from his
critically acclaimed EP Six preludes. That record mixed
electro-acoustic techniques, electronics and romantic
orchestrations into an epic melting pot, this full length
album ups the ante further.
It opens with the short Introit, a sweeping fantasia like
introduction that blooms with tonal colour and manipulated
textures. Strings and distant ethereal tones emerge from
the light mist of electronics to beckon the listener into
the title track. Harp and swinging strings are accompanied
by a warm fug of droning electronics and fait digital
percussion. As with Six preludes the sound has a deep
resonant feel to it that goes far beyond the dry academia
of other electro-acoustic composers. A filmic sense of
drama is present across the album such that you are always
drawn forward into it's narrative.
The title track only really flits with coherent melodies
but these shards of light that permeate the mass of
textures require several listens to fully grasp.
Nephesch as revealed in the interview I conducted with
Teague in May is dedicated to the late Jhonn Balance of
Coil. There is indeed a very Coil like influence on the
piece with great use of manipulated choral refrains and the
sort of Synth excursions you might find on Coils Astral
Disaster but Teague finds his own place in the sound giving
it a very orchestrated and multi-layered aspect that is
soothing rather than oppressive. Tableau 1 another superb
intermezzo track that wound's sound out of place on the
next Peter Jackson fantasy epic. Rising strings and female
choral sound permeate a think miasma of watery electronic
drones and effects. This sets the stage perfectly for the
most straightforward but also most rewarding track on the
album Fantasia for Strings.
This piece is entirely orchestral and contains no
electronic manipulations or effects. Again it's epic on a
grad scale and features Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Tim Redmond. If Teague doesn't end up scoring
for film then there is no justice, the balance of the piece
is perfect and the solos are as gorgeous as you could want.
The mood changes across the pieces eight minute duration
beginning like a rising dawn on a battlefield before moving
through romantic violin solos and finishes in an
understated way fading out after a crescendo of string
melody.
Accidia returns the melting pot of styles but retains much
of the fantasia like orchestration. Here the instruments
play through a mesh of electronic rhythms and ghostly
tones, voices in the distance and ethereal synthetic
textures. By the three minute mark a low bass rhythm has
taken centre stage with very eastern like drones and bells
augmenting the atmosphere. Tableau II has a far darker feel
than the first Tableau, creepy piano notes and disembodied
instrumental figures float through this piece making it
quite reminiscent of David Toops recent Black Chamber
material. The tension is much higher than the other pieces
and leads on nicely to the albums final track Rounds.
This starts in a very disjointed fashion with juddering
concrete sounds and distant synth tones. Keyboard melodies
rise and fall throughout with some manipulated harp and
other instruments appearing here and there. It's seems to
follow on nicely from Nephesch and again has that ambient
era Coil feel to it. Other percussion and electronics are
added to mix as the track progresses before it launches
into a full blown bassline and rhythm excursion, while
never loosing the atmosphere and beauty.
Please BUY: http://www.typerecords.com/
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