What I immediately appreciate about this album is the carefully constructed experience arranged for the listener. The modest or veiled cover of the disc tells us very little about what type of music is contained therein (at a glance it reads more like chemistry than it does music release), but I was pleasantly surprised to find a 30+ page booklet filled not with excessive writing, prose, or details about how to understand the music, but with photographs that suggest numerous aquatic environments that might enhance the listener’s perspective while spinning. This is a nice touch considering that music is not limited to just an auditory experience.

Bass Communion’s Theo Travis and Steven Wilson showcase two contrasting soundworlds, called Pacific Codex 1 and 2. Of behind-the-scenes crediting for the album is Steve Hubback, whose metal sculptures provide the source material for the disc. How BC go about creating the textures is not specified, which makes each listen of the Codexes more compelling.
Perhaps it’s a power of suggestion in the booklet but the unfolding of the symbiotic relationship between metal, air, and water is a constant through the course of the album. Careful attention is given to the interaction of the electronics with Hubback’s instruments -the illuminating of partials, complete control of fluctuating densities, large sound masses adjacent to immersive microsounds, and an overall volume-centric approach to form. The color of the music drifts between dark greys and whites to the furthest ends of the color spectrum in other moments. The performances themselves are decidedly organic, which gives a solid foundation for the electronic manipulations. In closing, I am also impressed with the cohesion of the disc, as the overall experience leaves the listener feeling whole, as though the high tide has just receded after a pensive day.

Pacific Codex is a fine project that will provide hours of return listens, be they focused or environmental. Inside the case one will find a standard cd of the album, as well as a DVD containing surround mixes, additional photography and credits for the release. Cheers to Bass Communion for going the extra few miles at the service of the musical experience for the listener. Highly recommended album, particularly the physical release.