Oh I do love a good compilation. This “Vapor State” collection is the third in the INTENT 2020 series released by Kalamine Records (following, logically, “Solid State” and “Liquid State”) and is chock full of great music and interesting non-music rabbit holes you can chase down as the mood strikes. Plus, it’s the unusual music compilation that includes a short story.
So what does “Vapor State” offer? Well, a little ambient here, a little drone there, plus some industrial noises, sampled voices, machine rhythms and other assorted treasures. Kalamine Records chief honcho Zumaia leads off the proceedings with some nice drones traveling over an abandoned landscape and a slow, mechanized rhythm that suggests something creepy is about to happen. The next three tracks (by Cursus Data, Kosmik Leprechaun, and Hidden Glow) all fit together style-wise with the opener, but each track has a slightly harsher feel in some way.
Lavatone (who I raved about recently, and I will again here) anchors the middle of this compilation with the longest track. “Sierra Grande” offers several simultaneous noises interacting and is dominated by heavy metallic drones. It’s somewhat dark, and even disorienting, at times; it does not disappoint.
For the rest of the album, the tracks get a little weirder in little (but good) ways. Peter Wullen has a song dominated by static and machine rhythm that sounds like sped up ocean waves hitting the shore at the beach. “It’s Not Necessary To Be Scared” by MUWN has a title that reassures but the music (industrial machinery and drones) does not. Nimbostrata’s “Polarities” adds a lighthearted element (relative to previous tracks) with some Irish tin whistle sounding melodies in the mix. “The Good Tsom” by Fabian Van Den Eijnden features voice samples (maybe field recordings out on the street?) distorted and mixed with musical echoes which slowly come to the fore as the piece moves along. The closing track by Aleksandra Chaladus & Björn-Erik Wilén (“Sätt Din Intention”) has more drones and sampled voice over subtle melancholy synth vocal washes and repeating echoing electronic “wood block” sound. It’s an otherworldly and appropriately calm end to round out the festivities.
And as I hinted at the top, there’s more beyond the music if you’re up for a bit of a mental challenge. There’s that short story by Qataka of the Dream Aid project called “Imbolc” (which is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring). And then there’s the statement of intent (or is that INTENT 2020) that says it was “Inspired by the concept of quantum awareness, Robert Lanza’s biocentrism and the Wish Tree art installation series by Yoko Ono…” So if you want to a little study to go along with your music, there you go. But let me reassure you that none of this material will be on the test.