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Experimental/Ambient: Autumn of Communion & World Circuit - Volume One

70 / 100
A richly varied long-form ambient journey with imaginative scenes and unexpected stylistic detours ...
The second session with Autumn of Communion brings us to Volume One, a collaboration with other Lee's project, World Circuit. This album was released in May 2021 through Neotantra as a single, continuous 59-minute track.

Unlike Folk Etymology, which moves in a relatively linear fashion across its three pieces, “High, Just as High and Third” presents several shifting variations influenced by electronic music. There’s a hand-drum–like beat from the second minute up to the ninth, which then transitions into a more synthetic pulse around minute ten, accompanied by an electric-bass tone that carries on until minute nineteen. Afterward, the track circles back to its earlier motif before morphing again—this time into something reminiscent of classic dungeon synth between minutes 25 and 30. Rain textures and clear ambient synth waves softly caress the ears, marking this segment as the most enchanting moment of the entire piece.

The earlier electronic style returns soon after, but retro, video-game-like 8-bit synths begin to brighten and energize the atmosphere up to minute 47. Synthetic IDM-leaning tones push the journey forward toward minute 48, where the track suddenly shifts into a kind of spacecraft mission, entering a dimly lit interstellar space that stretches to minute 57. The remaining time is filled with what sounds like an Indian-accented podcast dialogue and a short chant—acting as a ritualistic, slightly mystical closing.

Naturally, Volume One is more dynamic and varied, but this particular strain of ambient isn’t something I’m deeply drawn to. Still, for listeners who enjoy electronic or experimental ambient, this might be a worthwhile exploration.

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