24 February 2012

Steiner - 01_12 (2012)

I discovered the music of Stijn Huwels last year, through a self-released untitled composition close to an half hour.

Since then, he has been working on music, uploading tracks on soundcloud and working on a debut album and an ep.

"01-12" is a compilation of (un)released (compilation) tracks/remixes/works in progress he makes available to friends and fans, I guess in order to get some feedback.
 
The only difference which strikes me is the general absence of guitar. "Montréal 1976" is a warm and slow ambient drone track, somnolent and fluffy. More nostalgic and reminiscent of winter days, "There was so much i wanted to tell you" is based on reverberated organ drone sounds. 
 
I prefer when the guitar finally comes back on "A place i used to call home", with a nice delay, offering an interesting complexity and a welcome blur, just like hot summer air deforming distant silhouettes, or on "Mmxii", mixed with field recordings, such way Steiner finds a personal identity in the middle of the two scenes.

When he is exploring the ambient world only, with no field recordings or guitar, like on "Pi" or on "(i think the only way you can find out is to have the feeling)", even if it is warm and comforting, it tends to sound muffled and with a lack of concern, and not really gives a lasting impression.

On the "Glaciologist" he tries to follow other directions, if it seems promising, it still needs developments. Last track of this compilation is a remix of a Marcus Fischer track from his "Collected Dust" album.
 

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