2.5

Release data:

THIS – Zone
CD-R, Private Release, 2010

THIS (soulful sonic excursions extruding hypnotic-ambient-space overture, healing and spiritual) is a project initiated by Kentucky-based musician Bill Chelf, whose career spans over fifty years.

He started work on “Zone” after he heard Hearts Of Space Radio in the 80’s, so this outcome has been approximately two decades in the making. The non-rhythmic music of “Zone”, presented in one continuous flow, is a quiet, slowly meandering sonic world which melts ethereal longform textures with environmental sounds.

“Nod Inn” and “I get so dronely when it rains” are great intrinsic soundscape excursions, so I was unpleasantly surprised to hear the music switch to a weird pulse/beat outing with psychedelic vocals on “Do you feel/think”.

The psychedelic flavour keep a strong grip on the next tracks, even lending “Through The Wolves” (which features some real wolf samples) an experimental, almost ghostly touch.
Luckily, “Windward Dining” returns to minimal spaces, although a certain unearthy undercurrent remains present. The lush dronescape roaming in the last track again has an experimental angle to it.

With the exception of the first three tracks, “Zone” demands an adventurous pair of ears and a taste for the abstract.

Website: http://billchelf.googlepages.com