Sun Electric - "30.7.94"

Recorded live at Orstedparken, Copenhagen on the date specified in the title, Sun Electric switch gears from their previous albums Kitchen and Aaah!, to present a completely ambient, mostly beatless musical environment. Whereas earlier records had presented lush synths and electro beats, and future releases would feature drum n' bass beats with a side of ambient, this album presents full-on sumptuous ambience in the vein of Global Communication's 76:14 or Brian Eno's Ambient 4: On Land. Tom Thiel and Max Loderbauer are completely at the top of their game here, effortlessly generating and mixing loops for over 60 minutes into a seamless tapestry of sound. Repeating keyboard motifs, subtle percussion, and a sample from "A Hard Day's Night" are joined together in the meticulously constructed "Castor & Pollux," the highlight of the concert. This is truly an ambient classic, one of the greatest of the genre, and an excellent place for those new to ambient music to start.

4.5 stars