Longest Year

Dark Beyond the Blue (2020)

'Kernel Phase'
Rhombus Index
See Blue Audio SBA 041

1. Set Null
2. Eternal Corridor
3. Lemma
4. Float Robot
5. Genki
6. Lepto Run (Anisotropic Reimaging)
7. Spinor (Lyli J's Fractal Remix)
8. Leptosol (f5point6 'Silent' Remix)
9. Axiom (Sulk Rooms Remix)
10. Automata (Fragile X Remix)
11. Axiom (Kuma's Slightly Ecstatic Remix)

Release date: 16 December 2022

lnk.to/SBA041

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Back in July 2021 Rhombus Index made his debut on See Blue Audio with the 'Planar' EP. This was followed by the 'Diatom' EP in February 2022, and both releases have become an essential part of the label's catalogue, gaining acclaim and support across the ambient electronic music scene. For his next release, it seemed fitting to combine the new with a reinterpretation of what came before. On 'Kernel Phase', the forty-first and closing release of 2022 on See Blue Audio, five new tracks are accompanied by several remixes to create an all-embracing experience representing the multitude of shades, tones and influences that constitute the Rhombus Index aesthetic.

As an experimental electronic musician based in West Yorkshire, Rhombus Index draws inspiration and solace from the natural world that surrounds him. From fragments of sound like water falling on a leaf or the rustling of leaves on a windy day – as captured in field recordings – to the enduring power of the changing seasons, and the hypnotic beauty of the maze of elements that constitute this world and the cosmos beyond. On the flipside, we have the techniques of electronic composition and sound design, and a fascination with emerging technology in general, as well as a deep knowledge and love for dance culture. All these join forces in the sonic landscapes of Rhombus Index, and on 'Kernel Phase', he gives free reign to his imagination and that of like-minded artists.

With these new tracks of varying lengths, there has been deeper focus on ambient textures and tonality, exploring rompler synthesisers and field recordings. Generative sequencers, wavetable synthesis, FM synthesis and computer file data analysed as sound are also used, while there's also a continuing exploration into the sounds of late '90s RPG games, notably on 'Eternal Corridor' and 'Float Robot'.

'Set Null' opens 'Kernel Phase', and it was born out of the idea of creating a sense of seemingly perpetual evolution; it was designed to have an almost constant build-up throughout. This is also reflected in the accompanying video with its evolving geometry; like a creature that consists only of shapes and lives in its own ecosystem.

'Lemma' can be seen as the next step in the journey of 'Axiom' from 'Diatom' with a nod to post-rave relaxation contained within its dreamlike beatless soundscape. Elsewhere, field recordings from a summer trip to North Wales feature heavily in the pastoral 'Genki' as it captures the feeling of a lazy day by the sea with nothing to do. As with all of 'Kernel Phase', it feels like taking a deep breath of clean, fresh air.

To complement these new tracks, the artist returned to his previous releases with 'Lepto Run (Anisotropic Reimaging)', an investigation into mash-ups but based on an ambient paradigm. Non-competing elements in 'Leptosol' and 'Bee Brew Run' – from 'Planar' and 'Diatom' respectively – which gelled between the two tracks, were taken to create a delicate, minimal fusion of both.

Continuing the theme of reinterpreting what came before, See Blue Audio took a step into new territory by inviting other artists from its roster to reimagine the music of Rhombus Index. The result is an expansive, visionary and exceptional body of work that traverses alternate sounds, moods and inspirations. Lyli J, f5point6, Thomas Ragsdale's Sulk Rooms, Fragile X and Kuma provide the remixes. Embrace the ride.

Image: Loui Binns.

Kernel Phase

'Kernel Phase' (preview) – Rhombus Index (See Blue Audio SBA #041)

Rest of Life

Steve Roach - Sit with Me

Omaha features purely string octet, performed by the wonderful Philharmonia chamber soloists. Capturing a feeling of the tall, windy grasses of the storied Midwest plains, I wanted to express this only with the sound of the chamber strings and nothing else.

The artwork here comes from one of my new favorite American visual artists, @alexandrafuller who’s powerful series ‘Participatory Universe’ explores the idea of human observation through massive physical frames, focusing our gaze towards the landscapes beneath our feet.

Omaha

Alsatia & Leslie

Sanctuary of Desire

Steve Roach - The Elegance of Motion

The Wind

Afterglow

Afterglow (Remix) [feat. Kimbra]

Tears is the latest single by Talking to Shadows. Recorded at the Magpie Cage Studio in Baltimore, MD by J. Robbins.

Tears

opening track from “infinity lines” by @anthene
Name your price at https://stereoscenic.bandcamp.com/album/infinity-lines

infinity lines

anthéne - talons

Ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light... Established 2019.

Submissions: contact@seeblueaudio.com

'Kernel Phase' (preview) – Rhombus Index (See Blue Audio SBA #041)

See Blue Audio

Related tracks