[reviews] afe038lcd
dronæment: yr

Immediately acclaimed as one of Afe's best releases, and one of last year's most remarkable drone works, Dronæment's "Yr" is a joy to the ear and to the eye.

Coming folded in a chinese paper sheet with handmade drawing, plus a "regular" cardboard cover with suggestive artwork, and including a multimedia part with info, pictures and a video, it really pushes the CD-R format to a professional level far more exciting than most "regular" releases.

And the sonic part is just excellent. Droning ambient relying on delayed string instruments, synths and organs, plus field recordings (a beach, the rain...) and a cello (played by Markus Altmann) in "Ea nostalgia".

Nothing that hasn't been played a hundred times over the years, but Markus Obst has managed to create a miracle of magic, nostalgia and restlessness which I could only compare to Eno's "On land" masterpiece.

Dreamy but also turbulent and ever-shifting, these six tracks really deserve continued, and deep, listenings. Dronaement has also realesed an LP and a 7" record on Drone Records, and a new CD-R will be released soon by Afe - rejoice.

[Eugenio Maggi]