A journey on the darker end of the ambient-electronic spectrum, with segues into downtempo and techno, but always firmly into the realm of ambient atmospherics. The opening track, "Gardens at Impossible Distances" drifts into eerie ambient with darker, yet majestic and spacious sounds with layers of human voice, perhaps synthetic, that instill a kind of ghostly quality -- sort of eerie, yet majestic. The eeriness dissipates in the following "Kobalt", a downtempo electronic track that skirts Oxygene-era Jean-Michel-Jarre where beats and slow melody interplay. "Last Practitioner of the Vanishing Technique" and title track, "Quadrate Patterns" starts off with drones that ricochet, and semi orchestral sweeps before it ventures into understated beats with squelching acid techno accents and layers of techno melodies that pick up as the track progresses and are catchy--an unexpected turn for something that feels more on the ambient tip. "Lost Memories" and "A Soul The Same" has a vast, cavernous feel, early 80's Vangelis, specifically the Bladerunner soundtrack for when Roy Batty meets and dispatches his maker. Human voice, understated rhythms and dirge-like tones with sombre piano notes in cohesion lend dark overtone. The overall feel of this album is slightly retro electro-ambient that Audraulic is able to conjure and deploy to powerful effect. The aptly titled "Mountains in the Sky" bookends Quadrate Patterns with deep sound yet offers a more optimistic overtone. Ambient is really where Audraulic excels best, but even the most rhythmic track here is saturated in atmosphere and brings cohesion. Audraulic delivers magnificent, moving ambient and with orchestral majesty and sweeps...the last track the musical equivalent of a sunrise.

Somewhere between the sombre, darker moods, the brighter, mellifluous and the more meditative--resides Agencies, an ambient project whose key ingredient are, but not limited to, drones. Rather, Drones features billowing ambient and dense mist that form a kind of canvas where field recording fragments and bass tones fleetingly materialize and then dissolve into the ether. The listening experience is akin to dreams where moments come from and disappear into nothingness. While each track is fresh, they are not without touchstones. Tracks like "Ghost Mittens" are akin to Ghosts on Magnetic Tape by Bass Communion, for they share eerie, long, drawn-out tones with low end tremors and rather spooky melodic overtones. "Lullaby for the Blind" too is on the darker end of the spectrum with a similar gloomy mood, yet with a bit of an experimental Teutonic edge that channels Thomas Koner. In contrast, "Undercurrent" and "Landmarks of Nothing" are gently uplifting and serene with hints of secret joy that recalls the ambient-drone project, Celer. "Follow Me" has a cyclical sound that could be a bicycle or perhaps even a prayer wheel from a Tibetan Buddhist monastery while the long drawn tones evoke the dusty villages of Nepal or India where monks sit patiently before empty alms bowls. "The Secrets of Your Mind" suggests the same for the sustained bell-like tones accompanied with rushing noises that could be the wind or a series of prayer wheels in unison. While Celer has a connection with Tibetan Buddhism, it is not clear what connections Agencies has, so listener are free to draw their own analogies. "Good Morning Heartache" and Tarwater" has a more cinematic bent wherein ambient washes are layered like billowing silk scarves that set the canvas for sharper bass tones that give overall shape and emotion to the piece. Track by track, this release engages in a spectrum of emotions and textures that lead to a rich and varied listening experience. Drones is not so much an album to listen to as immerse and submit fully, like a dream state.

A standout release in any flow of good music that will capture your attention the way an attractive person in a room would. As you spend time with this person, attraction blossoms into a crush. Sketchquiet is the object of affection here and Flashbacks takes you through serene ambient, moody IDM, longing-infused melodic-electronic and dream soaked drone. Opens with "Appreciating through the Window", a slow pensive melody gradually builds into a growing sense of optimism that gradually overwhelms the piece. "Waves from a distance" follows with cinematic tension with periodic bass notes that build into emotional intensity while the following "Chinese Noodles/Candle Light" is a split personality whose first half is catchy electronic that detours midway through into slow, brooding melodic ambient. "Dream Catcher" is a gem of a melodic IDM that kaleidoscopes sunshine moods along to a grooving shuffle beat. "My Only Affair" is a beautiful, immerssive continuous journey infused with a touch of longing that is also bittersweet, yet more the latter than the former. Ambient gives way to field recording fragments, moments of life spill in and dissolve into melifluous fragments of piano notes and the ticks of a distant clock. "I was never there" caps this release with a point/counter-point of moods-slow melancholic tones countered with energetic electronics which compliment one another into a rather emotionally nuanced piece. Flashbacks will haunt you in a good way, invoke repeated listens and seduce you into continuous quality time.

Opening with an ominous, low-end rumble that builds with subtle overtones that suggest impending doom, we have BedouinDrone’s title track, “The Border” that sets both the mood and theme for this mostly ambient-drone release. The Border is also comprised of field recordings of traditional hand percussion and wind instruments while shouts of Allah-hu-Akbar (God is great, in Arabic) are discerned through the atmospheres. While nowhere explicitly listed, the ghost of the late Bryn Jones aka Muslimgauze haunts The Border and perhaps this could be a tribute to the late great artist. Those familiar with Muslimgauze music can discern similarities such as the use of field recordings of Muslim cultural practices or Islamic worship like Arabic recitations of the Quran or the Islamic call to prayer, which are distinct from one another yet both are in “Adhan” (which ‘means call to prayer’). Tracks like the powerful “Mishmishan” suggest The Blue Mosque album for its industrial grade, mechanical yet rhythmic loops and the psychedelic “Tulk Arm” recalls segments of the Sandtrafikar while “Susah” feels like a blend of Sandtrafikar and Re-Mixs 1 & 2, all albums by Muslimgauze. One also notes other similarities like the dedication (almost all Muslimgauze albums have a dedication) which in this case is “Dedicated to all refugees in this world”. The album and track titles further reference the Muslim world and attendant political conflicts. Even the artist identity is kept a mystery, with no photos, not even a real name, which at least Muslimgauze releases had. But to interpret these tracks as mere Muslimgauze knock-offs misses the point because they are thoughtful, well-done, and on the balance of the release, BedouinDrone stands out on his own. “Marawi” opens with a kind of Steely Dan style intro, then goes into what could be a field recording of an arcade as a disquieting drone build up a la Twin Peaks’ sound designer, Dean Hurley, broods over the piece like a dark cloud. “Birak” too has that Hurley feel to it, but “Raysayil” is its own kind of gem, a dark beloved cloud with Arabic phrasings. There are also remixes of “Faqat” and “Birak”, which are bit on the experimental drone side, but sound excellent, dark and moody. BeduinDrones might be mixing Islam with Muslim cultures, such as calls to prayer with musical instruments, or Islamic elements like calls to prayer and Quran recitations, which are also separate things. The Border is a pleasant nod to Muslimgauze, but also a proclamation of a distinct talent willing to acknowledge an influence but not be overwhelmed by it and most importantly, willing and able to forge out into his (or her own) distinct sound.

Listening to the Propagation of Light is sort of like chewing extra-long lasting gum where the intense flavor stays with you for far longer than you expect—and that’s a good thing. Oh and what flavors there are to experience here! IDM, ambient, deep house, downtempo, techno and even atmospheric drum ‘n bass, a musical buffet for a more-than-satisfying listening experience. Propagation opens with “Free-Quen-Sea”, the kind of track you want to start your day with, like enjoying a perfect cup of coffee during sunrise, while overwhelmed with a sense of optomism. “Fall of Stars” follows on a deep house, near downtempo tip which has the charms of riding care-free in a luxury car along an isolated stretch of country road as the greenery blurs blissfully by. “Grown Up” seems to merge stylistic elements of the likes of Aril Brikha and The Detroit Escalator Company, deep and elegant but the ‘positive’ overtones are all Aural Imbalance. Now on “Night Crawling” we have a long and mysterious yet seductive techy introduction a la Swayzak, which then blossoms into a full-on upbeat melody three minutes in with hints of delicious mystery and drama. PoL interludes with “Just Breathe”, the sole, meditative ambient piece while “State of Grace” picks up the tempo as layers of melody wash one after another like patterns in a kaleidoscope. Title track, “Propagation of Light” verges on ambient house that seems a dreamy nod to the late Frankie Knuckles and “Navigate to Now” feels like early Aphex Twin in his sunnier moments. This listener pauses to think, ‘just how many positive vibes can you put on an album?!?’ Our sugar rush experience is finally capped with the LTJ Bukem-esque atmospheric drum n bass piece, “World’s Apart” which is the missing track on the legendary Earth series and every bit as whispy as rainforest mist. How many listeners can be treated to such a stylistic buffet and a pleasurable one at that. If you are feeling down, put aside the anti-depressants and let Huxtable cure your Aural Imbalance.