review
Junk Media
Ambient music is usually associated with cool, cerebral sounds; distinct notes focusing the mind,
allowing it to wander. Rarely does ambient music sound warm or summery, but Rameses III, from Croydon,
South London, achieve just that with their new album, I Could Not Love You More.
The music is soft as it drifts and wanders. Notes are rounded and in the background, gentle vocals
adding a human touch without saying anything. Found sounds find their way into the 'scapes: Cloud
Kings introduces rain andNo Water, No Moon ends in birdsong. The tempo is downbeat, but it's peaceful
rather than melancholic, with moments of aching beauty. The music washes in and out over slow ripples
of rhythm, the patterns of which drift with the mood. The final track, "All Shall Be Well," seems
stuck in a moment of repetition until it breaks halfway through its 11 minutes and then it's like hearing a sunrise.
There's early Cocteau Twins in the shimmering guitars, particularly reminiscent of Victorialand (1986),
making it the kind of ambient that grew out of punk, leaning towards goth. Underneath is medieval drone,
lending a timeless feel. Echoes move the music from this plane to another, one you don't want to leave.
Acoustic guitars, electric pianos, Mellotrons and field recordings blur into each other as each track
melts into the next and, in just under an hour, time passes blissfully.
Babs
Wednesday 7 October 2009