Addition by subtraction of the prefix
One of the first things I encountered here is what is this title and how do you pronounce it? Then I realized it is the word subliminal with out the “su”. Okay, then maybe we have a theme here as orchestrated by one Andrew Ross Collins, apparently the atelier curator of this display of electronic instrumental tracks known, in today’s vernacular as “chill sounds”.
The press release and website describes “Bliminal” – Various Artists [Interchill Records ICHILL CD 027] as “ambient”, meaning an encompassing or encircling vibe, I suppose. I would also apply fungible adjectives such as spacey, futuristic, and wondrous like on “Liquid Stranger” to this album which is a compilation from ten producers who must be some of the masters of electro and experimental cooling-out, musically. Greg Hunter kicks it off with “Geonosis part 1 – The Emperor’s New Bassline” which is very Afrika Bambattish with Kraftwerk and Was (Not Was) influences.
“Active Ingredient” is bouncy like “Numbers” by Kraftwerk and has the most in-the-club feel from Evan Marc. “Ishq” (what is this name?), by far the dreamiest selection here by Nepalese Sun who evoked memories of back in the nineteen-seventies when the black light would’ve been on; “faaar-out, ‘Man”. Note: this track is erroneously numbered with another “06” on, as the press release from John Bourke’s public relations call it, “the Digipack” back cover when is should be number “10”, but on the disc itself it’s correct.
Moods from Afrocentric to far eastern moments, i.e. “Eat Static”, have been at some moment been captured within the “sweet sublime breeze” (quoting the press release again). “Legion of Green Men” has a bass line that evokes a Jamaican island feel, even.
Much of this album, among other things, is a good backlight to moments of introspection, but then as with many of these kinds of collections, there is an appealing and infectiously temerarious quality that solidifies the pie. The lesson is that you can touch all the bases but still be out at the plate; a scenario that three-and-a-half stars equates.
Posted - January 15, 2007
