Oophoi The Spirals of Time 3CD / 19 Tracks / 176.25 mins Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Birth and Death of the Sound')

Oophoi is a prolific and highly respected ambient musician. The way he combines sounds within a rising and falling dynamic range is really quite exceptional. The trouble is that such seemingly structurless music can be very hard to review. On one level the sonic flow might seem quite simple but its rather organic quality disguises greater complexity. This 3 CD set is some of the most appealing music I have heard by the artist and I am keen to try and spread it to a wider audience. I am sure the music will say different things to different people. The first disc starts off very quietly, in a rather sparse but still warm and shimmering way. Gradually very faint sounds of some beast crying out can just be heard (I think it is supposed to be a Whale actually). Everything happens slowly on this album so very gradually these sounds become increasingly complex. Deep rumblings add a slight feeling of tension but then shimmering metallic drones provide a much brighter contrast and lighten the mood. Things become even more tranquil, water gently lapping on the shore augmented by the subtlest of birdsong. The mood then changes quite a bit as the shimmering and the softer elements depart leaving a swirling wind. This is only a momentary disturbance however as more birdsong enters. It's as if we have been transported to a rainforest though there still seems to be an uneasiness in the background. The mood slowly changes and now I am reminded of more subterranean realms and the habitat of cave dwellers. The sonic backing becomes more intense punctuated by the sound of insects. We now return to a more comforting feel, as if relaxing peacefully through a sultry night. The first disc is drawing to an end but there is a sting in the tail. A sort of heavy breathing as if from some immense beast or creature from the underworld can be made out, accompanied by a host of other demons. It is as if we are being stalked. Disc Two is initially rather stormy with winds blowing over distant thunder. Gradually a deep drone rises through the mix increasing the tension. Eventually the rain starts to fall but in contrast to the prevailing mood it is rather gentle. Soft mournful tones emerge then fade away one after another. The storm seems to evaporate and is replaced by a comforting warmth. The rain returns and my mind visualizes a steamy environment as the water evaporates. Things are so peaceful and relaxed but then the sound of the Whale emerges once more. Maybe we are looking out to sea, sitting on a deserted beach, the forest spreading out behind us. Some very faint percussion can be heard but it's more like an object being gently blown by the breeze. I can now just make out some very faint talking as if from a tribe camped some distance away. The percussive sounds become more prominent and metallic in nature. Tranquil female ethnic chanting meanders to the surface and fades away as we settle down for the night to a soothing backdrop of twittering insects. The sound of the wind returns for the Third Disc creating images of a shimmering heat hazed desert, a melancholy lonesome breeze gently blowing over the top. In many ways it reminded me of Steve Roach's 'Slow Heat'. Subtle percussion is used from time to time as if things are being blown around, buffeted by tumbleweed. Strange noises, almost like the howling of wolves heard over a long distance add an uneasy tension. Eventually the sound of running water can be heard but this comes and goes as if surging in waves then fading back. With each flourish the sound increases in intensity until it can be heard continuously. It is at this point that the mournful cry of sea birds is added to the mix. Maybe our desert trip has reached the shore. Night seems to descend as the soundstage becomes sparse and somewhat darker. The wind increases in intensity. New melodic tones float in the air along with a repeated noise, a little like that of an owl, creating a softer moonlit atmosphere. Once more the mood becomes sinister and more percussive though there are some nice sampled ethnic chants (surprisingly with rather Gregorian tinges). This is a wonderful atmospheric album creating vivid image after vivid image in a very appealing inventive and at times thought provoking way. (DL)

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