Melbourne’s Marcus Skinner, previously known as Winterville, now going under the moniker Bird Traps creates these lush suites of semi classical drones on Colour Fields. Predominantly a guitarist, the album also features organs and field recordings, though everything is washed through heavy reverb and delays. There is no attack here, just these long warm extended drones, these melancholic sonic swells that have drifted in and seem to have all the time in the world. There’s a peacefulness here that verges on New Age. Yet there’s also a real subtlety in the stillness with not only gentle yet extended structural developments, but a depth to the textures, where once your ears are tuned to the miniature, a whole world of wonderment opens up for you. In this sense it brings to mind the work of Stars Of The Lid or Rothko, offering a kind of stately elegance and barely perceptible complexity in the lush warmth.
Composed by Skinner, with field recordings gathered in Japan, Australia and Thailand (though used quite sparingly), it’s quite unexpected to discover the presence of a string quartet of violin, cello, viola and double bass alongside Skinner himself. The ensemble’s ability to coalesce into one larger sound is nothing short of remarkable.
This is truly beautiful music, hypnotic inward searching sounds that possess a rare kind of patience. This is music to step out of the world to, all of the rough edges and corners have been removed and we’re left with a dreamy immersive soothing wash of ambient warmth that can’t help but alter the temperature of the room.
