3.5

Release data:

Remanence – Lamkhyer
3-INCH CD-R, mPath Records, 2002

This is the third, again very nice and originally packed release of Remanence, aka the ambient-duo Brian McWilliams and John Phipps.
Both who have been abled to take a prolific dive into the deep end of Tibetan-inspired music. In a way, this is what other musicians like to call in-the-moment-music: music born at the very instant without any borders or limitations, just the outcome of the way things happen.

“Lamkhyer” served as a prelude and subtext to the full-length album “A Strange Constellation of Events”, on which the title track also appeared, while the other two tracks are unique to this release.

“Lamkhyer” is the first and also longest track of the 3″ cd, delving into some of the same tribal-oriented realms as Vidna Obmana and fellow-musician Steve Roach have been composing. But this duo seems to add some more mysterious undercurrents to it. Hypnotizing circling rhythm-structures and soaring synthwashes merge in an awesome way.

The second piece “K’an” gets in slighly more experimental and harder to understand territory. One can almost feel something foreboding in the slowly morphing drones and creepy fx’s merged with it.
“Lefward Path” is the final track of this 20-minute Ep. Again there’s a mid-tempo tribal percussion pattern leading the way for darkened synth-textures, before the percussion starts to built bit by bit, without getting out of pace…

All in all, “Lamkhyer” is a mini-album worth to be felt with every spin in your cd-player. Without a doubt it will appeal to fans who love the tribal-infused side of Steve Roach, Robert Rich , vidnaObmana and those who love challenging explorations in tribal ambience.

P.S. In May 2015, “Lamkhyer” was re-released as a remastered limited edition cd box along a download version.
The new track list:
1. Lamkhyer (Remastered) 9:14
2. K’an, The Abyss (Remastered) 5:28
3. The Left Hand Path (Remastered) 5:31
4. Reflecting Pool (Demo) 4:30
5. Nocturne (Long Version) 5:21
6. Lamkhyer (Demo) 6:05
7. K’an, The Deep 6:11
8. The Left Hand Path (Remix) 5:33

Website: www.geophonicrecords.com