Green House Music - Reviews: Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution - Green House Music Compilation

GHM.99.01
Released 1999

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Eclectic Earwig Reviews - Hannah M.G. Shapero (c) 2000

Ambient music has been around about 25 years now, and has become a recognized genre, which even has its own subgroups such as "dark ambient", "drones," and "techno-ambient." The basic requirements for the "core" ambient style haven’t changed much in those years: long, minimal note lines drifting through an ocean of reverb, accented with bits of percussion here and there. And yet even within these restrictions, musical creativity can shine forth, and ambient has developed over the years. Some of this is due to the influence from other genres such as "classical" minimalism, or trance-rock; other changes come from technical innovations like the use of computer-generated "fractals" to determine rhythm and tone-color.

This compilation from the up-and-coming ambient/space label Greenhouse is a good measure of what ambient composers are up to at the end of the century. There are pieces from well-known artists like Vidna Obmana and Steve Roach, and there are some others from people I’ve never heard of who use strange pseudonyms like "Mono No Aware" (I think that’s Japanese), "Samsa," and simply "Me." Obmana opens the set with his optimistically titled "Euphoric Bliss." This is one of the best short Obmana pieces I’ve heard to date, with its bell-like accents tinkling through audible clouds of microtonal notes - perhaps a sound-picture of Obmana’s perpetually foggy native land, Belgium. A piece by the mysterious "Samsa" (the name of the poor guy in the Kafka story who turns into a giant roach - an allusion to Steve?) follows, rather darkly and aimlessly clanking away with metallic tones.

After that, there is an uptempo piece by "Vir Unis," who is perhaps the most exciting newcomer to the ambient field in the last five years. This piece, "Beneath the Hive," shows off his "fractal rhythms" which have so revolutionized the newer work of Steve Roach (in their collaboration BODY ELECTRIC for instance). In my opinion this is the best cut on the album. After this, there is a very slow, spooky track by "Exuviae" (Latin for "spoils taken from an enemy" or "sloughed-off skin"...?) that builds up to one of those shuddering electronic "walls of sound" that you either love or hate. If you were put to sleep by the first few pieces, "Mono No Aware" will wake you up. It begins with a loud snarl of retro-electronic roars and whistles, and builds into a banging techno-rhythm before beeping off into space. The Steve Roach piece which follows, "Resolution Point," is certainly good and very characteristic Roach, but it does not cover any new ground for him. The next piece, "Becoming Light" by Jayme Washburn, is a European-sounding meditation with a mournful, out-of-tune synthesizer melodic line. The compilation ends with the drone-filled "Holus Bolus," by "Me." (no, not this writer.)

Convergent Evolution gives you a sample of what’s going on in all the sub-genres of ambient these days, as well as the "core" style. It’s a mixture which ranges from very good to mediocre, but you, the listener, will have to decide which is which. HMGS rating: 8 out of 10

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The Organization of Sound - Matt Borghi (c) 2000

As the liner notes says Convergent Evolution is "an electroacoustic journey through the vast soundscapes of the imagination where ideas converge and evolve into passionate harmony." Too true, too true. This is a compilation recording released in 1999 by the folks at Green House Music. The recording features the music of Vidna Obmana, Samsa, Vir Unis, Exuviae, Mono No Aware, Steve Roach, Jayme Washburn, and Me. The disc opens with one my favorite artists, Vidna Obmana and one of his, always beautiful, dark sonic atmosphere's. From there the disc moves through more dark ambiences by Samsa, and the atmospheric rhythms of Vir Unis. One of the high points on this recording along with the opening track is Exuviae's track, a graceful and aurally pleasing track that evokes dreams of beauty and rememberance. Exuviae is followed by Mono No Aware's early electronic music-esque ambience and consonant electronic vibe. Steve Roach's tribal space follows with his lush, consonant ambience. Jayme Washburn changes the direction of the recording a bit with her own blend of colorful ambience; and the recording leaves off with Me, a Robert Rich-esque excursion into the realm of low-volume ambience and production induced harmonic virtuosity. This is a pretty outstanding recording. The artists have come together to fuse their own experiences into dream-like sonic tapestry, that heightens awareness and leaves the listener asking for more. Great recording!

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Expose Magazine - Mike McLatchey (c) 2000

There have been lots of great ambient anthologies released in the last couple years, and Convergent Evolution, GreenHouse's first release, is no exception. For the most part, it introduces new talent, although there are a few 'names' here as well. Vidna Obmana's "Euphoric Bliss" is nothing but, much of his best music is on these types of collaborations. Samsa's "Long Since Gone" represents a darker ambient side, tonally original and full of unidentifiable molten sonics. Vir Unis' "Beneath the Hive" unlike music from The Drift Inside, contains rhythm sequencing, weaving scintillating tapestries of ether. Exuviae fathoms a deeper more cavernous sound, lots of barely audible synthesis in "Blankets of Quiet". Mono No Aware's "Regions Behind the Eyes" features bizarre waves of modulated sound that end up segueing into a tabla-like rhythm. Steve Roach's "Resolution Point" is in the vein of On This Planet, although here he combines the indigenous percussion with what sounds like treated guitar. Jayme Washburn mixes viola with electronics on "Becoming Light", a delicate, symphonic ambient piece with enough of the unusual to entrance. Me performs "Holus Bolus" to round out the set, a very strangely modulated piece of electronics, worthy of its inclusion in such fine company. Ambient listeners will surely enjoy this collection of music.

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CD Services - Andy Garibaldi (c) 2000

In terms of Space/Cosmic synth music albums with exclusive tracks and a line-up to take your breath away, this is at the top of the tree. Every single track is an absolute gem and you will hear plenty of range and variation on the theme of space synth music, not something you'd find on many such albums. The Exuviae track is warm, flowing and full-sounding; the Vir Unis track lets in rhythm to add to the dynamics of the piece; the Vidna Obmana track is suitably ethereal and slightly dark, while the Mono No Aware track adds extra layers and textures and slow rhythmic backdrops/cascades to produce a piece that is really 'out there'. Steve Roach delivers a quite heavy track with percussive effects and slowly crunching exotic drums over which a beautiful set of synth layers ebbs and flows like waves on a shore, producing an effect that is both dark yet spacious. Jayme Washburn's track shimmers like heat haze on a gorgeous sunny day, very full sounding as sustained chords stretch into infinity, while Me rounds off the album with a piece of synth ambience that is the exact opposite as you imagine rain pouring down, dark skies and a synth backdrop and surround that is dominated a very subtly changing drone and eventually fades, the effect leaving you wanting to return to the beginning and experience it all once more. Quite superb and essential listening.

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Jungle Voodoo E-Zine - Sharee (c) 2000

Ever wonder what happened to real ambient music??? The kind where you could lounge in a bean bag in a darkened room and go on a vision quest to? Well, this little known U.S. label, Green House Music is cornering the market on the stuff. Artists may not be techno gods by the standards of many "electronic music" listeners, but these guys are playing with an even higher set of standards. For example, Vir Unis and Steve Roach (long time ambient/electronic musicians) are experts at creating an intricately woven tapestry of dreamtime sound - and have been doing long before biggies like Aphex Twin were out of preschool. "Convergent Evolution" provides the listener with 8 cuts that will put you into a sound womb. Excellent.

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SMD Magazine - Phil Derby (c) 2000

From well-known ambient artists like Vidna Obmana and Steve Roach, to names unknown to me, such as Samsa and Exuviae, this ambient collection offers up eight tasty ambient morsels to sample. All tracks are unavailable elsewhere, so that alone may tempt Obmana and Roach fans to snatch this one up quickly. This is no collection of second-rate leftovers, either. It is top-notch blissful waves of floating sounds.

The first track is appropriately titled 'Euphoric Bliss,' featuring Obmana's crisp metallic shimmering high end sounds combined with low drones. The sounds swirl about in an almost circular fashion, perfect to just relax and listen to, or perhaps to meditate. A little darker is Samsa's 'Long Since Gone.' This is a great combination of dark noise and deep drones. If you prefer some rhythm, Vir Unis delivers on 'Beneath the Hive,' which strikes a middle ground between his drum-infused work with Steve Roach on 'Body Electric' and his very ambient solo release 'The Drift Inside.'

Exuviae's 'Blankets of Quiet,' as you might guess, shifts back into beatless ambient realms, another soft soother. It's really hard to describe most of the music here with words, other than to say it is very ambient, but not static. The ebbs and flows are carefully orchestrated for maximum effect. It is a fairly cohesive set, though there are occasional diversions, such as the more experimental 'Regions Behind the Eyes' by Mono No Aware. The sounds are more intense, with heavy doses of warbling electronic effects blended with pseudo-tribal beats. Drones are present, but way back in the mix rather than center stage. I really like this track, which strikes me as very original. The sounds are thickly textured, but not harsh.

This is followed by Steve Roach's contribution, 'Resolution Point,' which effectively blends his tribal and more expansive tendencies into a single musical idea. I especially like the last few minutes of the track, after the tribal sounds drop off, leaving open ambient spaces in their wake. Jayme Washburn's brief 'Becoming Light' mixes viola and synthesizers into the prettiest piece on the CD, beautiful ambient music. 'Holus Bolus' identifies the artist only as Me. I'm guessing this means James R. Coplin, who produced the compilation. This six-minute track is virtually unchanging, but has enough going on in the mix to make a nice closer.

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Backroads Music - Lloyd Barde (c) 2000

This is a compelling compilation from the new electronic label, Green House Music. "Convergent Evolution" features a whole host of names from the ambient/experimental scene, including exclusive tracks from Vidna Obmana, Steve Roach, and Vir Unis. Besides these three well-known space musicians, there are fine contributions from Samsa, Mono No Aware, Exuviae, Me, and Jayme Washburn. Several of these artists are expected to have their own solo releases over the course of the next year. Along the lines of the Hypnos collections, such as "Weightless Effortless," this is space music for the millenium, coupling the dark and light with ambient depth and sonic allure.

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Ujamaa's Ambient Experience - Eric Prindle (c) 2000

Green House Music is a new ambient label out of Minneapolis that has adopted a tactic used by many up-and-coming labels in recent years, making its entry into the world of ambience by releasing a compilation album bringing together well-known artists and label signees.

In the case of Convergent Evolution, it is the lesser-known Green House artists who make the most interesting contributions. Exuviae and Jayme Washburn use, respectively, guitar and viola to lend an acoustic edge to their gentle synthetic soundscapes, while Mono No Aware and Me add more abstract, rhythmic tracks to the diverse mix. Samsa's "Long Since Gone" also deserves notice for its subtle feel of mystery.

Popular artists Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana as well as newly-signed Green House artist and former Roach collaborator Vir Unis also contribute tracks, and while these aren't bad, they aren't among the best work these three artists have produced, and they don't stand up next to the other tracks on the album.

Convergent Evolution is a good, varied compilation that should establish Green House as a new force to be reckoned with in the ambient market, particularly given the strength of their own roster.

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AmbiEntrance - David Opdyke (c) 2000

When three ambient-minded musicians (Nathan Larson, Brooks Rongstad and James R. Coplin) got together to form their own label, Green House Music was born with its vision already in focus. Convergent Evolution is living breathing proof. Various Artists, including the founders themselves as well as ambient masters Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana, make this initital release a strongly optimistic preview of very good things to come.

Tinkling like windchimes from heaven, Vidna Obmana's Euphoric Bliss stirs within a superdense cloudboil. Always shapeless, the textures melt between phases of churning tonality and ringing discord. Nathan Larson as Samsa contributes the dark and resounding soundtunnel of Long Since Gone, echoing with tiny electro-organic stirrings, sweeping radiance and brassy overtones. The naturalistic essences of water and animal lifeforms seem to imbue Vir Unis' excellent Beneath the Hive with a spacious, living identity. The gently percolating sonic prescences are backed by light rhythms.

Brooks Rongstad is Exuviae; if his Blankets of Quiet were tangible material, they'd be a dark gray blend of flannel and silk; warm, smooth drapes of sound swathe the airwaves with a mysterious comfort. A more aggressive darkness awaits in the Regions Behind the Eyes as rendered by Mono No Aware (a.k.a. James R. Coplin, producer); actively rippling with unknown energies and bubbling with electronic powers, this track genuinely takes a different route to those spacey ambient places. Steve Roach (12:12) heads toward the Resolution Point on spacious, shifting waves of sand. Lumbering beats plod amid quietly wailing synthlines and occasional windy gusts.

Becoming Light (5:35) signals time for sheer, unadulterated floatation; Jayme Washburn lays down softly intertwining sheets of sound which waft and wane in preternaturally serene cycles. Slightly grittier, though still strangely soothing, are the muffled hiss-and-drone pulsations of Me by Holus Bolus, capping off a great collection with a passage of vaporous noise.

Made possible by Various Artists, family and friends, these truly ambient sounds are previously unreleased and available only through this Convergent Evolution. A most impressive debut release from Green House Music garners a seemingly effortless 9.1. With a new label so obviously attuned to well-crafted ambience, I look forward to future projects

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