Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Pan American - White Bird Release (Kranky)

'White Bird Release' is the sixth album from Pan American, the solo project of Mark Nelson, guitarist and vocalist of long-hiatused ambient drone rock outfit Labradford, and is a return to his spiritual Kranky home following the brief dalliance of 2006's 'For Waiting For Chasing' on the Mosz label. Chicago's Kranky, with its quietly experimental aesthetic, most definitely feels like the perfect home for Pan American, as Nelson uses the name to field his beautifully restrained and subtle musical explorations. While previous albums have occasionally given more of a resolute nod to Nelson's electronic, techno and dub interests, on 'White Bird Release' these surface in only the most subtle and minimal ways (except perhaps for the deep layered beats and glitchy rhythms of "How Much Progress One Makes"), as the album is one of gorgeous hushed ambient drift. Long layered echoes of processed guitar and electronic ambiance unfold slowly, reverberating with occasional breathy vocals or atmospheric minimal percussive touches, to create a hypnotic, deeply immersive piece of perfect womb-like listening.

'White Bird Release' is available now on Kranky.

Pan American

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