Oöphoi - Athlit
The US debut of Italian drone-ambient artist Oöphoi. He previously released some well-received works on the Amplexus label,
both solo and with Tau Ceti (who also contributes here). Many Hypnos listeners have asked for more deep, slow-moving
ambient drone material, and if that style is your cup of tea, you'll love this one. It's just short of 74 minutes, one massive
continuous ambience (though with four "index" points so you can navigate the CD more easily). There's space music
and then there's DEEP space music, and this one is deep, deep, deep. Put on the headphones and drift....
TRACK LISTING with mp3 audio clips:
Drifting into Blank Space - 16:40 mp3
An Ever-Changing Horizon - 10:30 mp3
On Wings of Light - 18:05 mp3
Lord of the Starfields - 28:31 mp3
Read more, and/or purchase direct
Reviews
"One of the best releases of this year. A perfect meditative drone for the mind and soul."--Vladimir Jovanovic, Inner Space radio, Zagreb, Croatia
.
"Athlit is out now and is a great disc - long, slowly-changing drones, but lots of details in the sound to reward a careful listen. This is the first disc I've heard from him, and I'm impressed. Highly recommended."
--David Bass on the Ambient Music mailing list
.
"Absolute total nothingness. Sort of like feeling of insubstantial waves oscillating from just below your jaw to above your crown. Subtle overlapping surfaces of dimmest silver glinting. And I'm sure there's a dark velvety purple in there too, but I'm a little too relaxed to look for it just now. That dark, heavy viscousness that artists like mr. Rich can elucidate so well."
--Sleepbot
.
"On ATHLIT, Italian sound designer Oophoi (Gianluigi Gaspaetti) offers us a continuous flow of minimalistic "deep listening" soundscapes. Utilizing drones, environmental sounds and reverb enshrouded synth accents, the music creeps forward in slow motion to an unspecified destination. Any changes in tone or mood are deliberately planned and executed so as to not disturb the suspension of time. This piece has the characteristics of an engulphing bank of fog - immeasurable and mysterious. Its blurry borders, soft edges and gradual pace all aide in transcending us beyond the real world to that inner realm which is unique to each individual listener. The track titles, "Drifting Into Blank Space" and "An Ever-Changing Horizon", are aptly descriptive of music with no center or focus. Oophoi always works with scale, not size. ATHLIT is a work of pure sound-art and is devoid of a subject. The result is an indivisible whole that represents nothing but itself."
--Chuck Van Zyl, Star's End radio
.
.
"Dark atmospheres, crepuscular metallic textures and disquieting whispers compose a landscape of eerie colors. Much of the music is icy, ghostly, static. The synthesizers shape a dense tapestry that immerse the listener within a magical world where time ceases to exist."
--Edgar Kogler
.
"Oophoi is Gianluigi Gasparetti (Gigi). He is a master at using silence as an instrument and as an important component of his sound design. Athlit is his first Hypnos release and his first CD widely available in the USA. Given the chance to display his awesome skills to a wider audience, Gigi takes full advantage of the opportunity.
Deep drones carry the flow as Gigi surrounds them with cloudy atmospheres and organic textures. While the soundscape is neither majestic nor energetic, it is regal and dramatic. Gigi is inviting his listeners to rise to his level. He does that by meeting them on their level and walking with them to the deeper zones of his soundworld. This is another great CD from Mike Griffin and Hypnos recordings. It is essential electronic minimalism."
--All Music Guide, Jim Brenholts
.
"Mesmeric music of vibrance and unconsciousness. The drone and warp of this record makes for a feast of interdimensional headspace. Italian artist, Oöphoi, brings a soundtrack-like depth to these four expansive ambient tracks. The sounds recall a sense of chirascuro in its rapturous patience. For fans of early Flying Saucer Attack and latter day Biosphere. This recording is far from new age and wed to the school of Eno - worth multiple listens!"
--TJ Norris, www.tjnorris.net
Return to the hypnos.com index