Review taken from “Popscotch” where “Post Global Trio – Minus Seven” is on the first place for 2017, along with few releases on AMPEFF like “Niskogradba – Perpetual Goodbye“, “VA – Remote Perspective, An Abstract Sound Compilation” and “Amplidyne Effect – 1-49”
1. Post Global Trio – Minus Seven (Shimmering Moods)
Fourth release by this ambient superstar trio from Macedonia (Toni Dimitrov – field recordings, Dimitar Dodovski – electronics, and Martin Georgievski – electric guitar and synth) on dutch label Shimmering Moods highlights one of their most consistent and fully realized visions yet ; high on synergy, otherworldly tribal isolationism, overall aura of mysticism. Oscillating between the electroacoustic ambient escapades, in the vein of Steve Roden and particularly his In Be Tween Noise records and ambient/ dub techno concoctions, akin to Gas, on Minus Seven they’re also playfully toying with the Fourth World themes, as coined by the ethno/tribal ambient fusion pioneer, trumpet player John Hassell.
Four minimalist meditations slowly unfold, leaving us bewildered in the paradisiac mist of warm synths, mountain field recs, indian percussion, ceremonial chanting and hypnotic dubby rhythms. This aesthetic is injected both with the new age sensibilities of ambient music of the 80s and PGT influences from the 2k ; micro, glitchy, millenial sound of labels such as 12k and Chain Reaction, ending up with quite an unexpected take on the dreamily forlorn and (never) forgotten tribal ambient genre. Out of the blue and the far reaches of ex-yu leftfield !
5. Niskogradba – Perpetual Goodbye
If there’s ever been an agreement on what “hauntology” tag might encompass, Niskogradba’s “Perpetual Goodbye” delivers the dissertation of the year on this tantalizing topic. Self-proclaimed “ghost music” writer, Bitola’s Dimitar Dodovski, also of the Post Global Trio “fame”, makes this goodbye seem like a soporific with his most zany conceptual release under this moniker in 2017.
Its sounds are traversing the Leyland Kirby/ Caretaker axis, enriched with ghostly murmurs of a haunted ballroom or a lounge bar, with its pianist slowly spiralling into the loop decay madness. Intoxicating topographies of Paulstretch dronology (con)temporarily mesh with ambient pop jukeboxes. Cafe Del Mar compilation meets its hazy vaporwave-era doppelganger in a sea resort as they struggle in a loop over a hauntologist’s cliff(hanger). Is it future – or is it past?
One thing we can be sure of – it IS post-music debris for the naughties. Haunt us, haunt us, do it again, Mr. Dodovski !
VA & COMP
VA : Remote Perspective, An Abstract Sound Compilation
Possible the greatest ever ambient music compilation to collect works from artists from Macedonia and the rest of the world, curated by Martin Georgievski (Amplidyne Effect, Post Global Trio) :
“Remote Perspective, An Abstract Sound Compilation” is the first digital download compilation released on the website (under the self-release moniker AmpEff), as a free download. As an idea, the compilation serves to promote artists from around the world, that work with the abstract spectrum of sounds – experimenting with ambient, drone, experimental and electronic music. Most prominently the compilation is filled with sounds from artists that live in Republic of Macedonia (Amplidyne Effect, Dimitar Dodovski, Toni Dimitrov, Vedis, Aleksandar Ordev, delta m45, Defect 13th, B.ATL, Holtergeist, Post Global Trio), as well as artists from Argentina (Kashmir), Germany (DeceptionsDigital), Spain (MorlitaM), Portugal (Augen), United Kingdom (Scald Process, Maps and Diagrams, KUMO, Jared Sagar), Italy (Giovanni Alibrandi), Serbia (delta m45) and Malta (Robert Farrugia).
Amplidyne Effect – 1-49
Full-blown megalomania by Martin Georgievski ; almost 29 hours of his podcasts (or oldcasts) of improvised sounds ranging from experimental, noise, ambient, drone, post-rock, electronic, krautrock..
How to listen:
1. At shuffle. Play the album at shuffle and have the fade option turned on, you will never know where it will lead.
2. Continuous. Play it from the start! Only you have the power to listen through 29 hours of Amplidyne Effect