DESCRIPTION:
Zero Point: lessons in being nothing showcases some of the great talents in electronic music today, and finds them participating in a unique form of collaboration. With Ambient Temple of Imagination (ATOI) tracks as the inspiration and source material, Vidna Obmana, Steve Roach, and Seofon opened a circle of recycling (a process developed by Vidna Obmana and Asmus Tietchens to go deeper than simple remixing). Stephen Kent, Robert Rich, Not Breathing, and Thermal were brought into the circle as the project progressed. Entirely new pieces were created using a variety of methods and collaborative trajectories with Seofon (a member of Ambient Temple of Imagination) serving as a center-point: coordinating the project, making his own recycling contributions, and integrating the finished tracks into a hypnotic tapestry. The resulting music has traveled a long way from its origins, the original material barely recognizable in the new pieces. This album is full of rich textures, subtle and powerful both. Follow the rhythms, connect the melodies and harmonics in your listening; the rewards are great!
The Ambient Temple of Imagination, a musical extension of chill-room innovator Richard Sun, has enjoyed almost 10 years as an open collective exploring the ritual use of sound. After two highly concentrated LP's for San Francisco's Silent label, ATOI focused on public performance and collaboration, producing three live albums documenting the evolution of the ambient room and the energies of the public ceremony. The last of these, Planetary House Nation, caught the attention of Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana, who opened the circle for the collaborative union at Zero Point.
Belgian electronic musician Vidna Obmana is perhaps one of the field's most prolific and widely respected musicians. Having beginnings in the realms of Eno-style ambient and other unusual sonic experimentations, he has developed and changed one style into what seems like several over a long, recent string of fascinating musical collaborations. Recording in the fields of space, ambient, industrial, modern classical, ethnic and other musics, Vidna Obmana has achieved a breadth that few musicians do, in a passionate commitment to his art.
Also lending his artistic and psychic support to the project is ambient innovator Steve Roach. With over 40 releases to his name in the last 20 years, ranging from Berlin-school space music to neo-tribal atmospheres to more recent electronic groove explorations, Roach remains a paragon in modern music. Here, he translates live ATOI transmissions into the shared territory of his soundworld.
Zero Point is also blessed by outstanding guest musicians. Multi-instrumental master Stephen Kent revives his spontaneous guest appearance on Planetary House Nation with an encore didjeridu discourse, while electro-organic innovator Robert Rich lends his unique harmonics to the dialogue. Finally, longtime ATOI contributor Thermal and Invisible Records recording artist Not Breathing shine a light into dark, previously unexplored territories.
TRACK LISTING:
1. splendors [12.06]
2. the gift [2.05]
3. collecting the spirits [7.47] mp3 (excerpt)
4. science of success [7.01] mp3 (excerpt)
5. mystery of freewill [6.07]
6. rev. 20:13 teknos (the seeding) [18.02] mp3 (excerpt)
7. lessons in being nothing [6.43]
8. zero point [9.49]
