Air Texture Vol.2

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Compiled by Loscil and Rafael Anton Irisarri, Air Texture, Vol. 2 continues the series providing an enjoyable interpretation and sampling of ambient in a broad sense in the early 21st century, relying on a combination of familiar and newer names. At the same time, little on the compilation gives a sense of forward progression; either there's an extension of established tropes by artists or gentle explorations in familiar veins. That said, it's still showcasing a variety rather than a monolithic approach, often quite well at that. Beginning with Brian McBride's At a Loss, slow strings continuing in the vein of his work from Stars of the Lid, things kick off on a good note that never quite dissipates. Marcus Fjellstrom's The Eroding (Fairytale Music 3), with its crumbling layer of calm noise supporting fragile, melancholic bursts and touches of strings and tones, and Eluvium's piano-led Sleeper are notably strong. Other standouts include Strategy's Frog City, due to an introduction minimal even by this collection's standard, sounding like a distanced field recording, Mitchell Akiyama's spectral then overwhelming Dirge for the Canon, Simon Scott's lovely, enveloping Modena, and Benoit Pioulard's steady and stately If I Could Possibly Tell the Difference, I Wouldn't Care Anyway. Tracks like Chris Herbert's Naimina, a gentle flow of wheezing drone, and P. Jorgensen's 401 are more pleasant than remarkable but still succeed. Loscil's own contribution is a rising/falling looped swell of sound called Else, while Irisarri's Black Days Follow Me Around builds on a central and appropriately sad piano motif loop by adding swirls of orchestration to create a slow, steady downward spiral. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi