Michel Redolfi - Sonic Waters: Underwater Music 1979 - 1987 [Sub Rosa 483]

Recently released via the longtime standing experimental electronic staple Sub Rosa as an addition to their 'Early Electronics' series is "Sonic Waters: Underwater Music 1979 - 1987", a ten tracks and approx. 52 minutes spanning compilation album dedicated to the works of composer Michel Redolfi, conceptual inventor and mastermind behind the idea of underwater concerts performed in both large scale pools as well as in natural environments like the Pacific Ocean and other inundated places. With water and the ocean in mind as a source of inspiration and basic fundamental carrier of sound waves it is no surprise that all of Redolfi's compositions provide a certain floating quality, an ebb-and-flow of dreamlike melodic movements meandering in between Synth, Cosmic and ProtoAmbient realms mostly based on soft, slightly psychedelic pads and string arrangements accompanied by enchanted flute lines, tender harp tones as well as retrofuturist synthesizer bleeps, scintillating cascades of sound and - most prevalent in "Nocturnal" as well as in the brooding, spine-tingling piece that is "Fractions (La Nouvelle Atlantide)" - a few deeper, darker and solemn moments in between. Even without factoring in the conceptual approach of these pieces being composed specifically for an underwater performance context "Sonic Waters" provides an exciting journey for fans of all things ProtoAmbient, Cosmic and Balearic for a reason, especially for the chiming, crystalline and time-defying charm of "Carillon", the fragile, light-hearted and yet somewhat crackly aesthetics of "La Jolia Cove *Live Recording" and the haunted, dreamlike atmospheres to be found in the 12 minutes closing piece "Sunny Afternoon At Bird Rock Beach".

Album artwork on Instagram!