The OO-Ray – Astoria
For deep, droned-out soundscapes, the cello seems to be the perfect instrument. The dense textures from Hildur Guðnadóttir are probably one of the most prominent examples of this instrument in contemporary music. The Portland based The OO-Ray works with a similar approach as the well known islandic musician: a cello and a couple of effects for processing combined with a great sense for harmony and pace. And in fact, the result is an immersive sea of slowly droning waves and humming overtones.
In contrast to general associations I seem to have about cello centered album ambient albums, Astoria does not only features those dark drone tracks I expected. Tiny fragments of melodies form loops, which intertwine to denser texture and dissolve into ethereal clouds of sound. Ted Laderas, the artist behind the OO-Ray, manages to to shape the sound of his instruments into a large variety of forms. From the tinkling, pointilistic textures of Marzo to the metallically mourning drones of Gwageus and the soothing deep waves of Sleep – Astoria is a majestetically moving giant. Just like a glacier, it slowly, but also unmerciful, buries you underneath it.
The album is available via iTunes and all the related channels or as a CD via Ted Laderas’ own label Waveguide Audio.
