STEAMROOM 42 (2018)

A BROODING DRONE RECORD THAT VEERS MORE TOWARD SOUND ART AND ATMOSPHERICS (IE. DEMANDING YOUR EAR) RATHER THAN AMBIENT (CONSTRUCTED IGNORABILITY, ON SOME LEVEL). 38 MINUTES OF DENSE WOODS, STEAM RISING IN THE FEW CLEARINGS, HUMIDITY SOAKING YOU.

I AM SURE JIM HAS A HIGHER PURPOSE FOR THIS MUSIC BUT I THINK IT WOULD SOUND GREAT IN A FILM OR A BIG EXHIBITION ABOUT MEDIEVAL JAPAN OR DINOSAURS. IT CONJURES UP QUITE THE SOUND WORLD AND FEELS MORE OVERLY RELATED TO 'IMAGE' THAN SOME OF THE MORE INSCRUTABLE PIECES OFFERED UP IN THE DRONE MODE.

HENCE (2018)

ANOTHER THREE-WAY COLLAB FEATURING OREN AMBARCHI (EXPECT MORE) BUT THIS TIME KEIJI HAINO IS ON HIS LUNCHBREAK AND JAPANESE TABLA MASTER U-ZHAAN STEPS UP.

THIS TIME JIM GOES ALL NEW AGE FANTASY SURVEYS ON A SYNTH (APPARENTLY HE'S A MODULAR GUY NOW) WHILE OREN WIELDS A GUITAR JUDICIOUSLY. U-ZHAAN TAPS ALONG HAPPILY. 

IT IS TOTALLY PLEASANT AND HAPPY NOT TO PUSH ANY REAL BUTTONS. 40 MINUTES JUST DRIFT BY; YOU COULD WORK TO THIS, DO THE DISHES, WALK TO THE SHOPS, DO YOGA. IS IT PARTICULARLY INTERESTING? BY THE STANDARDS OF A LOT OF INDIE AND POP MUSIC OF 2020, I GUESS? BY THE STANDARDS OF JIM O'ROURKE'S BETTER MUSIC? I'D HAVE TO SAY NOT REALLY.