Harold Budd – The Room

Harold Budd - The Room
3.5

Release data:

Harold Budd – The Room
LP/CD, Atlantic Records, 2000


The core inspiration for this quiet album was drawn from a painting of the same name LA-composer Harold Budd encountered in the late ’80s. “The Room” eventually ended up as a base and the start to explore the various aspects of what rooms can actually be or become, which resulted in 13 fascinating ambient pieces.

Some might remember an ambient track of the same title was already found on Mr Budd’s fine exercise “The White Arcades”. This time around, the composer focuses on the interpretation of both space and mood found in a room in various (atmospheric) conditions. The inner sanctum found within the walls of the room evaporates melancholy, emotion and grace. The latter are expressed through delicately molded and sustained piano musings, darkening organ textures, electronic treatments and lots of reverb.

Icy undercurrents surface occasionally, such as on “The Room of Stairs”, turning to rather surreal sonic imagery (“The Room of Mirrors”) or loneliness/melancholy (“The Room of Secondary Light”). The only time things don’t work out for me is the jazzy “The Flowered Room”, which also reveals more motion. It feels weird to the subtle drama and introspection settled between the sparse notes on rest of the recording.

All in all, the mesmerizing sound curtain of suspended piano displayed on “The Room” is enchanting and wondrous along some dreamy moods running sideways

Website: www.haroldbudd.com

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Harold Budd artist page

 

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