bj nilsen & stilluppsteypa

Space Finale

It may only be a few weeks old, but 2010 is already proving itself to be a strong year for drone records, and BJ Nilsen himself has already added to the tally with his freshly released The Invisible City, for Touch.  Now, the Swedish sound artist reconvenes with long-term collaborators Stilluppsteypa for a follow-up to their rainforest-inspired dark ambient album Man From Deep River.  After that very earthy, tropical nightmare of an album, this ninety-minute cassette release immediately sounds like music conceived on a higher plane.  Divided into four lengthy pieces, this cassette has the feel of a classic piece of analogue experimentation, populated by obliterated field recordings, vintage synth timbres, archaic, blipping tones and above all, acre after acre of sustaining, continuous sound.  It's hard to know exactly how this music came about, but if you scry long enough over these vast, smoky vistas you'll hear shapes (of some sort) starting to emerge.  It's listed that the principal 'instrument' used in the making of this record was a Revox 2-channel tape machine, and the fact that the release is consigned to cassette means that the warm, magnetic character of the music is seen through right to the end.   The classic, old-fashioned styling of the album contributes to the overwhelming ambiguity that hangs over proceedings; very few modern, digital drone records manage to achieve such an unshakable air of foggy enigma, and at its intangible best 'Space Finale' evokes a fantasy meeting between Delia Derbyshire and The Hafler Trio.  Limited to just 200 copies, this cassette comes with our highest recommendation.