Minimalistic but OVERPOWERING

Few electronic recordings are able to effuse so much emotion with such uncluttered delivery. This recording pulses with a dreamy surefootedness; it is spacey, ambient, warm and sometimes strange and lonely, but at all times shifting and exploring the best angle from which to tell the emotional tale within the sound. This band [Loscil] has become my instant favorite -- and I am not known for particularly loose loyalty. Listen -- chances are you will not regret it.

Subtle and Sublime

Rather than being comprised of epic, endless drone tracks that you really need to take time out to listen to and appreciate, Loscil's work is a little more accessible for those who seem to always be on the go. The opener, 'Motoc', is nothing short of perfect - and the rest of the album finds itself effortlessly nestled behind it. It's a tight line to walk between engaging intimacy and sleep-inducing boredom. Plume keeps on the right side of the track.

The immediately noticeable thing about Loscil’s Plume is how engaging it is right from the first waves of quiet static that so aptly complement the smoke stack artwork. Instantly “Motoc” sets the tone for the remainder of the album, whose gentle percussion and pulses of static supply the rhythm bed, which other artists using organic instruments (xylophone, vibes, guitar, Rhodes piano) quietly improvise over. The band are disciplined in their freedom, playing melodic passages with sparseness and attention to timing. This creates a tranquil and melancholic mood music that not only runs throughout Plume, but helps to carry over some continuity from the serenity and density of Loscil’s previous releases. The wispy nature of “Steam” is not unlike the sounds found on labelmate Christopher Bissonette’s debut recording Periphery, while “Chinook” is the perfect soundtrack for a rainy spring afternoon. An impressive release from an artist who never fails to deliver the goods. – Rob Theakston