Words by Tim Hakki @TimHakki
Going in for the Eno school of ambient music, this thrilling eight minute piece by Ancient Ocean has all the hallmarks of great ambient composition: small repetitious phrases, earthy sounds and an abundance of space in the mix. With a more modern flavour than anything found on Music For Airports or Selected Ambient Works Vol II, the piece unfurls and makes clear that Ancient Ocean intends to break away from Eno’s oft-quoted maxim that ambient music should "...accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting.” Just past the halfway mark this one becomes impossible to ignore, as panoramic synths fill the soundscape occupying much of the space. It’s clever, peaceful, interesting stuff.
Ancient Ocean's second album Titan's Island is available to purchase on bandcamp here