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Biosphere
Cirque
(Touch Records Catalogue Number: TO46)
Geir
Jenssen's 1997 album Substrata
has, since its release, come to be regarded as one of the finest ambient
releases of the last decade. Three years on, with the release of Cirque, Jenssen has done more than anyone could have expected,
released an album to rival Substrata.
There's
a progression in Biosphere's albums, all of which are excellent in their
own right. With Patashnik
Jenssen evolved the slightly rough-cut ambient-techno of his first release
Microgravity before producing his seminal work Substrata. In some senses the antithesis of Patashnik, Substrata defined a new direction for Jenssen and in so doing created some of the
most chillingly beautiful ambient music. So too has Cirque evolved from the sound of Substrata, or perhaps devolved. Where Substrata explored an undeniably dark place, Cirque has a far more organic feel. Without losing the sense
of space and the originality of its predecessor, Cirque speaks the same language but arguably with a more mature
manner. Ambient tracks, such as the strangely disjoined 'Black Lamb',
and Grey Falcon', lie
amid beat-driven tracks, such as 'Le Grand Dome', which sound like echoes of Patashnik played from the reference point of Substrata.
Partially
inspired by the incredible story of Chris McCandless, Cirque captures
some of the majesty of the bleak Alaskan landscape where he survived for
about 16 weeks before dying of starvation. Intensely idealistic McCandless
led an unusual life, eventually leading him to enter the Alaskan wilderness
without map, watch or compass and with only a ten-pound bag of rice for
food. Ever on the brink of starvation, his return route cut off by a river
fueled from melting glaciers and poisoned by an indigenous plant, McCandless
found a measure of peace as starvation set in for the final time.
Even listeners unwilling
to accept absolute meaning in music will find the story of McCandless
a preferable, and perhaps more accurate, description of the gamut of emotions
covered by Cirque, than
any of the usual enigmatic ambient music descriptions that do the rounds.
At the very least the story makes for an interesting literal interpretation
to ponder upon as you slip the disc into your CD player, lie back in your
couch and let the music take you away. All of which I highly recommend
you do.
Review by Toby Baker
information:
website: Biosphere site: http://www.notam.uio.no/~geirje/biosphere.html
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