Solar Fields – Blue Moon Station
Solar Fields Blue Moon Station 2003
2. Elevator Sunshine Girl 3. Cosmic Dessert 4. Magic Eye 5. Infection 268-7 6. Magnetic Air 7. Majestic Feeling 8. Blue Moon Station (Album Version) 9. Planet Zoo 10. Third Time (A-Version) 11. Swimming With Stones |
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Without a doubt the ranks of Ultimae Records are powered by a group of artists-giants, without which the scene of psy ambient, chillout and downtempo would not be the same substance as it is now. I guess every attentive listener, lover of chillout sound would be able to name at least one name associating with the label that I have mentioned before. Someone would probably say that Vincent Villuis is a leading figure of Ultimae, someone else that Charles Farewell, and I would put the accent on another name – Magnus Birgersson. The music of a genius Swede who stands behind the project Solar Fields and among others H.U.V.A. Network has been a great inspiration for me for years. I remember the first live act of Magnus, which I was able to hear during an Italian festival called Sonica in 2006. I have chills at the mere mention of some impressions, which gave me his music flowing through the speakers. I am a quiet fan of a talent of Magnus, although I admit openly that I have some other favourites in the ranks of Ultimae.
It will be no exaggeration when I write that for me the albums of Solar Fields are not the easiest to perceive. This is not that kind of music which immediately falls into the ear and in which as a recipient I am able to sing a piece of a track, or I can even remember its title. However this argument does not work to the detriment of the music of Magnus, inversely – in my opinion it is a proof how great is his talent and artistry. Swede with remarkable precision and intelligence creates of each sound a colourful musical landscapes, emerging slowly through the fog, which aims to inspire the mystery of what the artist wants to tell us. Birgersson, like his other colleagues from the label, does not give us a finished, ‘ready to eat’ product, which you only need to listen, everything will become clear and the images in our mind will appear immediately. It is not the right way! Magnus does not feed us with the pulp of some grinded sounds that we had once heard somewhere. He hopes that not only we will listen to his music, but above all we will start to feel it.
Magnus Birgersson has started his adventure with the project Solar Fields in 2001 with releasing an album called REFLECTIVE FREQUENCIES. Since his youthful years he comitted himself to some various musical projects, he played the guitar, drums, percussion, piano and even tried to create graphics. Analyzing his works, it is worth to stay looking at an album that was released in 2003 by Ultimae Records. Of course, we think about BLUE MOON STATION, the album which is expressive and polished in every detail. Magnus Birgersson offered us some various tracks taking into consideration the tempo, associations, moods, which in all their diversity remain a common element appropriate only and for exclusively to the project Solar Fields. Although I had a pleasure to hear BLUE MOON STATION many times, still I have the feeling that this is the album that goes perfectly with an evening landscape and aesthetics of the night. Apart from the associations, which raises the title itself, closing my eyes and listening to the first track CONFUSION ILLUSION, I can see a forest shrouded in mist in the middle of the night. It is weird, but this is not a place which I am afraid of – on the contrary, although this kind of a picture usually brings fear with it, here gives an unprecedented calm. ELEVATOR SUNSHINE GIRL is the track of a great power, but also with a mystery concealed somewhere deep. In the track COSMIC DESSERT the mist gently spreads to show us the sky full of shining stars. MAGIC EYE helps me to look everywhere where tries to penetrate my mind craving for new experiences. And what does it need most at this point? A little bit of some typical trance, tribal sounds that I get as a gift in the track INFECTION 268-7. After an exhausting, ritual dance MAGNETIC AIR carries me gently over the forest in the middle of a warm night. MAJESTIC FEELING sweeps over me (it appears about one minute in the seventh track in the order) and it introduces a sublime atmosphere. The climax is reaching the title BLUE MOON STATION, which shines very brightly today. Somewhere in the distance you can hear the sounds made by drums, mixed with some sounds straight from the space, spicing the track with a pinch of madness. PLANET ZOO is a more subdued, quiet composition, followed by a bit awkward and for me the least interesting track – THIRD TIME. Whereas the ending sweeps me off my feet and makes my knees soften and sag under the weight of sounds. SWIMMING WITH STONES is quite a perverse title, because I feel lightly, I slowly fall to a soft bottom, quite unlike the stone, which immediately hides in the depths of the water. These stones must be as enchanted as I am under the influence of the music, which was served to me by Magnus Birgersson.
The summary of this album will be very brief – Solar Fields is a true magician of the sound, and BLUE MOON STATION is an album that moves an adult, experienced man, oppressed by his habits, monotony of life into the enchanted world seen through the eyes of a child. Just like a stained glass made up of many individual, differing from one another colourful parts ultimately creates a collective work, as the seemingly divergent tracks of BLUE MOON STATION give a very beautiful whole, which is worth devoting a consideration.
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8 / 10
Kasia