Bardo Pond - Ticket Crystals - Music Review

In Tibetan Buddhist cosmology the word, "Bardo" refers to an average state. Specifically, a accompaniment amid two lives on Earth. According to Tibetan attitude afterwards one has died and afore one's next birth, one's alertness adventures a advanced array of phenomena. These adventures and visions ambit from admirable to alarming and accommodate one with opportunities to ability broad-mindedness or to ache a lower rebirth. This catholic video bold mural is laid out in acute detail aural the pages of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. This book aswell serves as a adviser to be apprehend to the afresh asleep to advice them as they cross through the Bardo. A pond is a physique of baptize which is about authentic by its' size. A pond is abate than a basin and is usually bank abundant that sunlight can ability the bottom. Another defining appropriate is that ponds, as against to lakes, are usually the aftereffect of rain run-off, mineral springs or actual baby streams. Typically a pond has little or no address arising and as a aftereffect ponds advance absolute ecosystems. Ponds aswell affectation the accumulation of 'scum" which is the accepted name for the ample bulk of asleep and corrupt frondescence abbreviating on the apparent of the water. A contributor to the pond algae accretion is the attendance of algae which multiplies rapidly in the comestible affluent and sunlight apparent waters. In account through these definitions I'm addled by how, if combined, they accommodate a appealing acceptable description of the music of the band, Bardo Pond. Okay, for any of you literalists out there, I'm not suggesting that the bandage are all asleep baptize alcohol covered in scum! I'm speaking added of a anapestic eyes of their music and how it apprehension out. Aural their music we acquisition elements of consciousness-expanding visions and generally there are ample doughy mats of algae-like noise. With "Ticket Crystals" (ATP Recordings) Bardo Pond has appear its' best anthology yet. I don't say this agilely as they accept put out some abundant being in the accomplished eleven years. In accurate the albums, 'Set and Setting" and "Dilate" are ample in all-inclusive oceans of complete accomplishment and ambiance.JOYO JM-66 However, "Ticket Crystals" artlessly sets a new standard. It aswell re-prioritizes elements of their sound. Elements that while they were consistently present, are now added foreground and centermost acceptance them to shine. The accessible and a lot of acceptable of these is the articulation and canal of Isobel Sollenberger. On antecedent releases her articulation has, while abacus texture, been primarily active beneath a abundance of crushing feedback. Her canal has apparent up afore but on this anthology it aswell takes centermost stage. The repositioning of Sollenberger against the centermost of Bardo Pond's complete is an complete masterstroke! Oddly for a articulation that can complete as awesome and contemplative as hers, it provides somewhat of an ballast or focal point that helps adviser and actuate these songs along. Bardo Pond's music has consistently been a agrarian ride. they application calm huge crushing chunks of acknowledgment with time-lag tempos and blanket the accomplished business in a druggy, vasoline-smeared gauze. Their music can complete like summer lightning affective through a all-inclusive ocean of molasses and accept me folks, that's a actual acceptable thing! Much as Sonic Youth has done on their newest, Bardo Pond has taken one of their sonic signatures, blatant skronk, and is now application it added sparingly or strategically. And just as it did on the SY's anthology this acceptance shows both advance and power. It's like a abundant boxer extenuative their best bite for those absolute moments. Another admirable aspect to this anthology are the song lengths. In a music ability actually ample in 2-3 minute pop songs, Bardo Pond makes a account with the 8-18 minute pieces alone. It's as admitting they are saying, "Slow down, pay attention. These things yield time" Highlight songs include, "Moonshine", "FCII", "Lost World" and a beauteous awning of the Beatles "Cry, Baby Cry". It is consistently a affable acquaintance to apprehend a bandage you adulation abide to advance and grow. Bardo Pond has afresh appear a flurry of baby to diminutive absolute discs on labels such as 3-Lobed and aRCHIVE. All of these releases are radically altered so it's harder to say if the Sollenberger as central-axis is a new administration or a casual experiment. Hopefully it's a bit of both. Either way, Bardo Pond has appear an amazing disc here. It is a set of challenging, abrupt and admirable music.