From Waffles:

" Oren Ambarchi acts as a good antithesis to that other great Touch luminary - Fennesz.Both artists use the guitar as a starting point for minimalist discovery and post-abstract innovation, though where Fennesz relies heavily on distortion and catharsis, Ambarchi's focus is on a much more refined, clean building of layers and delicate augmentations. For his third outing on Touch, Ambarchi's immense achievement is through his sense of timing, pace and definition - slowly building pieces up to warm, glowing echoes that use dronelike beginnings and head into sumptuous soundscaped vistas. "Grapes from The Estate" is neither minimal nor abstract in the difficult sense, the added arrangement of piano, organ and even drums transforming his familiar self-restraint into an hour-long process of transformation and deep ambiance.
"

It's a pretty interesting cd. I'd be interested to hear what fans of Fennesz thought. Not sure if the comparison is just, but it's definitely ambient and droning.

thanks for the heads up, i'm on it

this is really minimalist now

will

download

soon

I'm getting his 2007 album "In the Pendulum's Embrace" since I couldn't find Grapes.

After a couple listens it really is minimalist. Fennesz is a lot more abrasive (which was good and bad for me sometimes, based upon mood). I really love some of the aspects in this cd and this guys work. The droning on a few notes and variations of those is interesting when you're in the right mood.

In the Pendulum's Embrace is so nice. It's very minimalist for sure mostly because it's built around these sparse bass tones, but what happens beyond that is quite intriguing. In that I suppose it's a perfect ambient record. I can devote myself to listening to the wonderfully placed electronics and the violin on inamorata or the guitar on trailing moss, or i can ignore it somewhat and fall asleep to it. and thats satisfying in my book.

Ah yes, awesome, I was waiting for this thread to come back up or the patience to search for it.

EH, I listened to this album, and I thought it was awful. It is nothing like Fennesz, at all !!@#%$!#%

It is like, an extremely slow modulating bassline. There are almost no treble frequencies on this album at all, which ultimately does not bother me, but still. It was about a week ago I listened to this. I remember it being extremely boring, very very minimal with almost no change happening on each of the 3 songs, and what was going on sounded very uninspired.

This is the new album I listened to, by the way.

And yeah, perhaps that was a problem, I listened to it expecting something I could concentrate on and be engaged by. The merits of the album as a purely ambient, sleep inducing music I have not tested. Then again, ambient music that I love and that I sleep to is also the kind I like listening to while wide awake. And you know I am a fan of minimalism. So I'm not sure, I just didn't like it.

By the way, please check out Chihei Hatakeyama. And Johann Johannsson. Just do it.

I said it was similar to Fennesz but minimal. I even said it wasn't as abrasive. This guy uses the same kind of approach with the guitar and electronic manip.

I can't confirm or deny that, it has been a while since I listened to it.

Also, after a few more listens it isn't as good to me now. It has it's moments, but I cannot really stay with it. I was in a pretty relaxed mood the first time I listened to it. I do still like his approach though.

buffalohed, what do you think of brian eno's early ambient albums? if you hate this because there's no change happening you must be bored to death by those albums.

ps. this album is really good

Nah man, I'm all about minimal stuff. I just didn't dig this album. It wasn't about the change. Fuck people, you are going to make me turn off Weakling and put this on, and then I will be angry.

btw, EastHastings... HAHA!

New one ("Sagittarian Domain") by this gent is superb.