June 18, 2021
Dream Theory
The first release on Anna Wall's Dream Theory imprint brings together a collection of artists to display their own ethereal vision through various palettes of sound, field recordings and synthesisers. It was curated during the pandemic, a time when the need for music and catharsis has never been more prevalent. Many of these emerging artists are known for their electronic music within other genres, and this compilation reveals their latest explorations through beatless ambient sounds. Portugese artist Sputnick delivers a beautiful and reductive opening track 'The Light' made from recordings from the Triton synthesiser, while 'Aquila' delves into a journey of more complex shimmering melodies, the name inspired by the 22nd largest star constellation. Samuel Padden's 'Micronism' follows instinctively with dancing polyrhythms, inspired by Satoshi & Makoto's 'CZ-5000 Sounds and Sequences'. 'Times and Travels' is the conceptual piece by Moscow-based artist Alexey Seliverstov which was recorded in 2019, on a pristine Yamaha piano found in an abandoned hotel on a semi-tropical island in Japan. The field recordings that complement the piece were recorded live in the forests of Portugal during a trip last year. R Ö Y's 'When Will We Sea' is a free-flowing ode to the sea; written about the damage being done to our oceans, emotive pads roll under a wave of Native-American inspired flute. From Figueira da Foz in Portugal Apart experiments across ambient landscapes with the mesmeric 'Green Fog', and 'Consequences' is a special first-time collaboration between longtime friends. Finding a middle ground within their different workflows and techniques, they shared a similar vision and message for this piece. Label founder Anna Wall delivers two tracks, with 'Dream Theory' encompassing her vision of the label itself and 'Violet Skies' which was written in dedication to Violet Nariyah Pearl.