Motion Sickness of Time Travel/Tidal Split
(2011 Tranquility)
One of the finest releases on the über-reliable ambient label Tranquility Tapes, this 30 minute cassette will captivate you, put you into a trance and weave its way into your subconscious. Each side is brimming full of wispy, translucent atmospherics and psychedelic timbres perfectly engineered for style over substance. Without the use of percussion, (or any sort of rhythm at all, for that matter), this aggressively beautiful album's style over substance approach to writing great tunes make it a real winner, and a fixture in any dream-pop fan's rotation.
The track that opens the more accessible MSOTT side to the cassette, "Clean Hands", floats like murky stagnant water, the undulating synths barely penetrated by frontwoman Rachel Adams' Stevie Nicks-like wails. Setting the mood for the rest of the A-side, it's an absolute stunner. Standout track "A Statue In Time" sparkles as if reflecting sunlight in a whirlpool of crystallized reverb. Everything about this track, the mournful, keening vocals, the bubbling electronics and the gritty sound-quality all point heavenward. It's reminiscent of the Cocteau Twin's dreamier moments, with a modern twist. The side closes with "Glazed and Leafless", a strikingly minimalist track with an underwater sound.
The Tidal side is a more challenging, yet no less engaging side to this split. Endless waves of spaced out synthesizers haunt the three tracks, which pulse with eerie, orchestral noise. The most interesting track here is "Letting Go", which sounds like a calliope tinkling far into the darkness, barely registering as sound yet there nonetheless. While not as instantly likeable as Side-A, the B-side to this tape is still worth a listen.
While this tape is long sold out, you can download it from each artist's website and listen below.
