There's a smothering, a cradling, and our surroundings are suddenly dampened and echo beyond. In each direction there's nothing to be seen - or there is, a cliff, a dropoff, a ridge, a ledge, looking down into nothing. Or, there's a sudden swell, and escarpments rise with hollow, bristling whistles, ripping the bones out of our hands, muscles splitting and dripping into the bottom of the undisturbed water.
With my face plunged into the darkness, there's only the ice cold chill, and the hollow hum surrounding every empty wall. Suddenly, light seems to come from below, spinning, and flashing in a tintinnabulation of sparkling, piercing, shattering shards of iridescent crackle. Purled, out of the water and thrown into the air, the lights - as less they are described the better - shatter into thousands of rays, suck all of the sounds of our surroundings in, and explode in a moment of silence. Echos beyond, dampened suddenly, our surroundings a cradling, a smothering there.
credits
released January 12, 2024
GEMS I is the first in a series of pieces by Will Long, recorded and originally released in 2019-2021.
One of her strongest works ever. This album has deep ambient drone instrumentals, but also some almost krautrock-y moments which I seriously love. 5/5. zensounds
As I drift away from the Earth and all its chaos, its gleam reduces to a speck in the vast cosmos surrounding me. I close my eyes and take my solace among the ocean of stars. Christopher Nolan
58918012’s hatred of piano inspired him to build an entire album around the instrument—which, ironically, led to gorgeous music. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 22, 2023