by Jason

Portal, Schengen, Innerise, and Weyland, members of the Make Mine Music collective, contribute to this soothing, ambient collection of songs. Schengen and Portal play a few songs together while the rest are individual tracks by Innerise, Schengen, and Weyland. This set of tracks are five in number and are on an EP called There is always something to listen to. There is not always someone to hear. That being said, let’s take a look at the individual tracks.

“Cap itol” is a track contributed by Schengen and Portal. It is an electronic, ambient track that lasts 6:30 minutes. It begins with a quiet bass line that eventually is joined by electronic percussion and dreamy, floating guitars. This track is very soothing and recalls sitting on a couch in a room with a bay window while watching the snow fall and pile high outside. The builds and additions to the song are slight, but very beautiful and really fill out the drone of the song. “B’leaf” follows “Cap itol” as the second contribution by Schengen and Portal. It begins with floating keys that go back and forth from speaker to speaker. The ghost like keys are filled with piano keys and some various high hat work and minimal snare. Finally, a guitar enters the mix with light, listful strumming. Spaced out keys enter the mix and, by this time in the song, you feel as if you are lying on your back in the middle of a warm summers night staring at the stars as they fly by.

“Seti” is a remix of an Schengen song. It is remixed by Innerrise on this EP. This track begins with a more ominous feeling and has space like beginnings with a heart beat-like beat to it. The keys are layered and deep, with beautiful, oceanic type feelings. The beat eventually changes with considerable high hat, strong snare, and deep bass. This really drives the song and gives the ethereal keys an anchor to hold on to. “Grace” is contributed by Schengen and starts out with fluttering, fuzzy keys that fade in and out as if approaching your ears and then flying away again. The keys float in and out among other sounds that hum and buzz to the listeners delight. This is a short track that eventually gives way to “Seti on Safari,” which is contributed by Weyland. “Seti on Safari” begins with huge walls of spaced out keys and what sounds like a mix of jungle noises. This is probably the most experimental song on the track and it begins with little structural feeling to it. This develops into a sort of pinging sound, like a submarine makes underwater. This experiment takes the reader through a “Safari” of sounds that are both harsh and soothing at the same time.

Schengen, Portal, Innerise, and Weyland have put together a small collection of songs that transport the listener to otherworldly places. A definite keeper for anyone who is into electronic, ambient music.