Steve Roach, VidnaObmana* – Spirit Dome – Live Archive

“Spirit Dome returns with a perfect companion, Live Archive. Two out-of-print releases from this acclaimed ambient duo are brought together in this value-priced 2-CD release. Living proof of the power of live performance, these recordings are so immediate and engaging it would be easy to assume they were crafted over months in the studio. Live Archive, from their 1997 tour, serves as a natural complement to 2004′s Spirit Dome, recorded live to stereo master in one take in a studio-like environment. Steve Roach / vidnaObmana’s 2002 CD InnerZone served as the doorway to the surreal environment explored on Spirit Dome. Recorded in one continuous 74 minute session in a hotel room in Philadelphia, this is a dark sanctuary of pure texture and beautiful, if foreboding, dissonance pulled along with pulsing beats, subtle loops and dense soundworlds.The track captures a chilling gothic ambience that offers the exploration of remote psychological states of awareness. This is achieved by way of extensive live processing of instruments including fujara (overtone flute), guitar, and the seemingly bottomless wellspring of electro-acoustic sounds found only in the soundscapes of the duo. Live Archive, on the other hand, collects peak performance moments of pure energy and emotion from the duo’s live adventures. The wide range of venues, traveling to various countries, and above all their first tour together fueled their mutual intentions, challenging the artists to create music that does not know the limits of jet lag, equipment failures, and physical demands which occur when leaving the sanctuary of the studio. The artists write: “While our experience reached a level of spontaneous interaction in the studio, it was an entirely different dimension when performing live on stage at a specific moment in time. It was as if we were communicating with each other blindfolded, focusing entirely on the sound appearing in the moment and being exchanged back and forth while the energy of the audience and the space helped feed the process. Although we briefly discussed the structure of each concert, the magic simply came alive when we took the live performance map outside any form of logical preparation, relying on our mutual passion and instinct for traveling in the soundcurrent.””

Label: Projekt – PROJEKT225

Format: 2xCD, Reissue

Country: US

Released: 2009

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