Venn Rain - Sympathetic Vibrations

So the blog is running perilously close to becoming a Venn Rain fan page. But I guess that's a risk I'm willing to take given the prolific stream of 2012 content. The latest from one of several monikers of Jimmy Billingham (Tidal, Holographic Arts) is Sympathetic Vibrations on Norway's Koppklys Records.

Jimmy opts for shorter pieces here than in his prior releases. The mix of tracks seem somehow a bit less spaced out and in some senses feel to me almost more angular and propulsive. Still, the masterful use of loop and timbre are on full display. Sharp intertwined synth patterns weave and reflect each other with an elegant balance. Defined, a sympathetic vibration is a vibration produced in one body by a simultanious vibration in another. Trying my hand at determining the artists' intent, these pieces seem to vibrate together. Each compliments the other, each melody vibrating in time with the next, and in turn with the listener. Chrome perfection.

Limited to a hand numbered edition of 60. In addition to printed liner notes and pro dubbing, Fredrik from Koppklys has included a set of three beautiful printed photos from the Natural History Museum in London taken by Jimmy with each copy.

Venn Rain - Entropics

Entropics, on Different Lands, is the latest in a flurry of exceptional early 2012 releases from the Venn Rain moniker of Jimmy Billingham. Sparkling, shimmering, cascading astral melodies, fused directly to tape. The selection of tones and timbres collected together here is what I find remarkable. There is a sense of cohesion present in Entropics, such that the entire work moves with a single purpose. Loops intersect and redefine each other, evolving, and progressing. Subtle, almost imperceptible variations compound to track length glacial shifts. Truly next level melodic drone.

Packaging is really slick, with a printed matte finished wrap adhered directly to the outside of the case, with liner notes included on a folded photocopy. Copies are still available, along with a new release from Slag Heap, directly from Different Lands.

Venn Rain - Diamond Dust

Hot on the heels of his self released 20 Loops, Jimmy Billingham, the artist behind Venn Rain and Tidal drops another killer work, this time on Fadeaway Tapes. Super lush blurred out layers of melody one on top of the other, with occasional bits of rhythm build seamlessly into a something that simultaneously sounds extraterrestrial and nostalgic. Absolutely one of my favorite artists going right now, hitting all the right notes between melody, timbre, and engaging progression. If martians land in a jungle 1,000 years from now and use some type of futuristic dowsing rod to dig this tape up from under a layer of muck, they might just let us live ...assuming they have a tape deck.

The entire new batch from Fadeaway is pretty incredible, and includes tapes from Sparkling Wide Pressure, Cenote Glow, and Aphid Palisades. Venn Rain is already sold out at some distros, but the whole batch can still be ordered like I did, direct from Fadeaway Tapes.

Venn Rain - 20 Loops

20 Loops from Venn Rain is exactly what it says, twenty loops on a single cassette. Each loop seems capable of being fleshed out into a complete track, showcasing deep and moving melodies that drift into, and out of, fields of haze and distortion. However, the structure of the entire cassette gives us only snapshots and ends each track abruptly. Each loop has an almost robotic charm. It's hard to verbalize, but perhaps best described as a forgotten automoton playing a rusty piano thinking about more pleasant times, or something like that. Based on their similarity with other Venn Rain and Tidal tapes, I'm guessing these loops may be bits and pieces not fully incorporated into the other works from creator Jimmy Billingham.

I've always very much enjoyed both of those projects, and did not hesitate to pick this up by following the directions here. Word to the wise, don't wait long, there are only 20 copies, and each has a unique package.