The Circular Ruins The Alchemy Concert Play:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track 'Changing the World')

Anthony Paul Kerby, the musician behind The Circular Ruins, is an ex-pat Brit living in Canada. He describes his music as 'groove ambient', a blend of ambient and traditional EM. His latest CD is, as its title suggests, a live recording from the web-based radio station 'Atmostreams'.

Vocal samples and the ambient sounds of 'nature' get 'Affinity Construct' underway. A pulsing drone adds structure. Almost immediately a simple but beautiful melody begins to intoxicate. A 'ticking' rhythm is added. The mix is then left to run its trance-like course in true ambient fashion. Various disembodied sounds move across the stereo image, and they are expertly positioned - this is a long way from simple drift. At the 4 minute mark a new, analogue sounding melody is introduced; it's wonderfully evocative of the early days of EM, but perfectly at home alongside the contemporary backing. Vast analogue pads and doleful, oriental, bells join the mix at around the 8 minute mark. The mix now takes on a dramatic, symphonic feel. We close with a simple pad and disembodied effects. Wonderful stuff!

'Their Subtle Purpose' uses the same sonic palette as the opening track, and is of the same, exceptionally high, quality. The central melody is gorgeous, the sonic detail exquisite; truly this is a craftsman at work. Again the dynamics are expertly controlled. Although the main elements of the mix are simply 'there' in the ambient fashion, Kerby constantly adds and subtracts new elements to and from the mix so interest is constantly maintained. Beautiful.

'Calibration' opens with cosmic twitters and a low drone. Digital synth 'stabs' punctuate the piece and a fairly free-form, middle- eastern melody adds detail. We could be in a high-tech souk at the furthest reaches of the galaxy! A heartfelt solo takes centre- stage before the rhythmic elements of the track fade. We close far too soon at just under 5 minutes. 'The Circle of Life' is a dark beast. Menacing drones and a 'heart-beat' rhythm form the back-bone of the piece. This could easily be an 'Alien' type Sci-fi soundtrack. At times sinister 'wails' move from the shadows, it's unsettling but superb. Radio-tuning noises are added, is it a distress beacon?. Eerie vocal samples close the track. This is music of cinematic proportions.

'Changing the World' is a more up-beat track. A hypnotic but subtle beat gives shape, around which a drone and fairly 'retro' sounding melody weave a mesmeric pattern. A vocal sample proclaims 'it's the greatest thing that's happened to me' – this fits the mood of the piece perfectly.

'Exclusion' is built around a drone and an achingly melancholic filter-swept melody. Again, various 'accent' sounds ensure that the track is constantly moving. The track made me think of the ambient moments of 'Autobahn' era Kraftwerk.

Syrupy analogue sounds open 'The Flame's Shadow'. Yet another melody of superb quality is deployed. Things become darker at the 2 minute mark as a pulsing drone takes control of the track, animalistic sounds lurk beneath it, straining to be unleashed. The warmer analogue tones return to lift the mood and dynamics – the change is expertly handled and very effective. This rise and fall in mood is repeated several times. By the 8 minute mark a simple, rhythmic sequence is added, briefly, to the mix. We move to the close with a plaintive melody and the pulsing drone. 'Alpha and Omega' closes the album. It's short (3.12 minutes), simple, upbeat and irrestible!