Sonnamble - Blindlight

With a track featured on the most recent Wire Tapper, Sonnamble are London based duo Conor Curran (electronics) and Peter Marsh (stringed instruments). Blindlight is a response, in part, to sculptor Antony Gormley's work in which gallery visitors could experience a brightly lit 10 metre square glass box full of a thick fog created by humidifiers. Following their full length LP 'Seven Months in E Minor' of last year, also on Forwind, the album features a textured blend of processed sounds, and recorded instrumentation. Marsh creates the most beguiling range of sounds with his lap steel guitar, at points randomly placed, at others hinting at partly constructed melodies, it's an immediately captivating aura.

Aphelion (a word meaning the point in a planet's orbit where it is furthest from the sun) I and II showcase both electronic and string instruments in an abstract harmony, the effect being a disorientating texture of tones, bleeps and clicks seemingly without structure. Aphelion I is short in comparison to its brother, although both feel part of the other each has an unexpected edge. The title track introduces a wider range of source sounds, developing the noise and static elements with processed strings distorted with effects. Again we become lost, out of our comfort zone almost, auditory escapism at its best.

Curran's uncle provides a monologue on the Irish mental health system on final track 'society', the recording is interrupted and corroded by guitar, noise and additional electronics. There's probably something symbolic there, I'm not sure what it might be, the emotion that overrides the words comes across much stronger - the sinuous ambient tones and glitch noise dominate, not everything can be communicated through words it would seem - its a haunting soundtrack.  A melody even emerges from within the folds at epicentre of the track providing a grounding contrast to the rest of the album The track ends with Curran's uncle and another laughing, a lasting thought to the track and album, a human sentiment that leaves a smile on the face.

Sonnamble manage to create an audio equivalent of the Gormley installation in as such as these tracks provide little to orientate us - a kind of sonic fog. Not created through an obvious use of thick layers of ambient synths, but through unidentifiable sound, placed in irregular patterns and juxtaposition of string and processed noises. Moving the listener out of their comfort zone and back again, this is an accomplished work.

Sonnamble - Aphelion II by Forwind

www.forwind.net