The Circular Ruins "Their Subtle Purpose"
The Circular Ruins returns with this stunningly beautiful new release.

Anthony Paul Kerby of The Circular Ruins is a musician whos work has always impressed me, an artist whos catalogue has always been of the highest calibre, always a delight to listen to. With the release of his latest disc "Their Subtle Purpose", Kerby continues to impress me. The disc is a stunning and powerful collection of tracks that expand and build upon all of the qualities that have made Kerby so well loved by his fans, a collection of music that will surely appeal to fans of the ambient/electronic styles.

"Seven Daze" opens the disc with a blend of spacey electronic tones and more organic sounds, a processed flute, pipes, others. It's all very dreamy, something that draws you deep into the disc. The track suggests that there's something blooming, coming to life. It's a beautiful track, a thing of wonder and magic...

"The Dead" has a more overtly electronic feel to it, a repeated percussive pattern that drifts throughout the soundfield providing a focal point while other sounds rise and swell. As time progresses, more organic elements are added, breath, recognizable melodies (minimal as they might be), a sense of life or at least a form of same found in the darkness. Great stuff.

"Of Which We Are Made" draws us further into space, the sounds of stars, galaxies dying and being born, the swelling of the universe. There's a steady oscilating tone around which all others follow, a space around which everything else seems to grow. There's a denseness to the sound here, an almost forest like quality, and one can't help but be enveloped in it. Very nice work.

"We Must Endure All Night" incorporates deeper tones, rich bass-y frequencies creating a full sound with a great depth and beauty. Snatches of conversation and a deep drone play just on the edge of the senses, and higher tones become more evident as the track continues, growing, rising in volume and shape.

"Suspended Animation" is a much warmer track than the title would suggest, but still maintains a sense of chilled detachment. Sounds seem stifled and choked, snatches and memories from a frozen brain's dreams. Voices without form, cold drones, the sounds of a long cold sleep.

"You Are Not Alone" breaks through the chilled isolation of the last track, offering a very fluid, liquid bass-y gurgle to melt away the cold. Again there's a sense of growth, of birth, blooming, something coming to life. It's a revitalizing sound, the sound of hope and dreams. Beautiful.

"In the Blue Twilight" takes us to a hidden grotto where short arpegios dance around a fluid liquid tone. Deeper tones take control, and sounds spiral around of their own accord creating an almost living hive of activity. As time passes, sounds build and swell, eventually taking over the track and changing it into something new. A fine example of environmental ambience.

"Only Their Shadows" begins as a dark and foreboding track, the sound of caves and shadows and mystery and quiet, but it is soon lit up by the sound of melody and shape, a blending of tones that creates a sense of light in the darkness.

"Errant Reception" pairs a number of pads, a sweeping orchestra of sounds, that blend together to form something beautiful, playing about eachother, creating a gridwork of wonder. The sounds of radiowaves pierce through the track and the stillness of the summer sky is broken by the sounds of stars falling in love.

"Little Device" closes the disc with a steady humming drone, the sound of rich pipe-like tones and oscilating frequencies playing overtop. Sounds ring and chime intermittantly through the mix and a sense of rebirth is conveyed. A lovely way to end the disc.

As stated before, Anthony Paul Kerby's work has always been amongst my favorites, and certainly he lives up to all expectations and more with the release of "Their Subtle Purpose". Kerby's talent shines brightly in ambient circles, and I have no doubt that if he keeps releasing discs like this, that it won't be long before his name is included with the best of the genre.

rik - ping things