Landscape Verses

So far this year has been a powerhouse of amazing releases. Most of the albums to date, however, have been of the Electro-House or Electro-Pop genres (which I'm not complaining about). Enter "Selected Downbeats Vol. 2", the newest compilation project from Sweden's ambient, progressive-trance duo, Vibrasphere. Rickard Berglöf and Robert Elster have been producing music together since 1998, leading to their first album "Echo" in 2000. Their musical style ranges from slow-tempo ambient, to ephemeral and up-beat psy-trance that elevates the listener to a state of other-worldly euphoria.

Their first compilation (Selected Downbeats Vol. 1) was somewhat of a "best-of" album at the pair's current stage of their career, featuring tracks from multiple albums, and Vol. 2 does just the same, only this time, there is a fresher feel of more current programming style and a more uniform theme all throughout the CD. The tracks become much more layered with soaring foreground patterns complimented by deep and engaging bass effects and percussion. Most of the songs begin with a slow introduction and continue into a high-charged build that explodes in an epic symphony of sound.

Tracks like "Ensueno" and "Breathing Place" insist upon the hairs of your arms raise in emotional stimulation as chills run down your spine. The album was released on February 18 and is a testament to Vibrasphere's work. It's a good place to start with this band, but I assure you that you'll be hooked.

What's the Difference?

Often (yet not always) I find that new-comers to the world of computer-produced music find themselves in one of two places, one of which is bad. Either they believe that all electronic is and sounds like European Trance, or they stumble upon one sub-genre other than cookie-cutter trance and actually give the music a chance. I mean, don't get me wrong, there isn't a single, best type of electronic; each listener (as like any other umbrella genre) needs to find their preference.

I shall digress into highlighting a few of the most presently popular categories:

Trance is that standard european sound with heavy synths and strings, often accompanied by that deep bass kick followed by a cymbal.

Electro-House is the home of popular bands like MSTRKRFT and Justice.

Glitch is a more eclectic genre, where in describing it using the simplest terminology sounds like an aural clusterfuck. Artists like Mouse on Mars and Autechre call this one home.

Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) is the offspring of Detroit techno where the musical style is more dependant on the individual than any specific genre, giving birth to unorthadox artists like Bjork.

Ambient is the genre in which the music acts as more of an atmospheric blanket than incorporating any real rhythm. The solemn tone of this faction is present in the works of artists like Aphex Twins and Manual.

Indie-Tronica / Electro-Pop is another one of the most popular sub genres. Many recognizable artists fuse the elements of pop-based vocal roots and electronic rhythm, such as Junior Boys, The Postal Service, and Ladytron.