Stockholm’s The Field, aka Axel Willner, was one of the few proper electronic acts of 2007 to be correctly filed under crossover. From Here We Go To Sublime, his debut LP on Kompakt, proved to be a potent tonic for many critics and like-minded fans thanks to its clever interweaving of deconstructed pop samples amongst a constant ebb and flow of synths and stuttering beats.
Willner’s latest as The Field, the iTunes-only Sound of Light EP, isn’t so much a follow-up as it is a quasi art instillation / clever marketing piece. Commissioned by Stockholm’s Nordic Light Hotel, Sound of Light is intended to be part of a series of works created by different musicians, reflecting their individual experiences after spending a night in the overly designed hotel.
An example of high-minded brand extension on the hotel’s part in an attempt to lure in the fashion crowd and Wallpaper subscribers? Of course. But, much like Brian Eno’s landmark Ambient 1: Music For Airports (which was designed to calm the nerves of airport passengers), the resulting EP rises above its initial context and rightfully stands on its own two feet as a solid body of work.
Structured around four, 15-minute-long movements entitled ‘Morning,’ ‘Day’, ‘Evening’ and ‘Night’, Sound of Light serves as a protracted extension to the ideas Willner explored on his debut. ‘Morning’, for example, stretches out the tricks heard on the more compact ‘A Paw in My Face’ and it’s easy to find other parallels between the two records. It’s only on the gorgeous ‘Night’ that you find Willner veering outside of his usual low-end to construct a dreamy, future landscape out of nothing more than cranked up synths, clicks and vocal samples flickering in and out of the background.
Ideas now familiar to anyone exposed to From Here We Go To Sublime abound here. Some might view that as a fault, but by extending the amount of time he previously allotted himself, Willner transforms and lends a whole new dimension to the proceedings that often proves itself to be blissfully hypnotic. Now let’s see if he can pull it off again with his proper follow-up.
I like this
But I hate hate hate iTunes only releases. As such, I chose to illegally download this from a blog like a proper gangsta
I have no qualms about 'stealing' something that isn't available in physical form
It's a good listen though. You should all follow suit
Also, DiS IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE FIELD SHOCKER
I didn't really like it.
After the hype around his album I expected much, much more. Someone please tell me it's better than this.
It doesn't sound like anything I haven't heard before and I hate the way the tracks come straight in with no kind of intro or build up. Also the first track repeatedly goes ever so slightly out of time with itself like a DJ doing a bad mix which really grated on me.
Having said that I still paid for it. I love how people are constantly inventing rules for why it's ok for an artist not to get paid for their work. Yes releasing it on iTunes is a bit monopolistic but at least you get an hour's music for the price of a CD single. Not bad at all.
i kinda agree
was a bit disappointed and i absolutely adore the album.
Fair points
Thing is, I went out and bought his album, and I'll be sure to see him live next time I get the chance. I know that is irrelevant to what I've said about the EP, but it does mean I can sleep easy in the knowledge that I've financially supported an artist that I admire
And it's not just about the monopoly of iTunes, although that does play a part. It's the fact there's no other option if you want to pay for it, and the only option you do have is a shitty quality mp3
If this was/will be a physical release, I'll be first in line to order a copy. As it's not, I have no qualms about finding it online
^ I'm not going to stand up for the 'quality' of MP3/AAZ but
this EP is at the higher quality 256 kbps format instead of the usual 128 from iTunes.
Really this guy is doing his best not to rip you off here.
^AAC
Yeah, bit of a disappointment
considering what he did on the album (which is pretty AWESOME). Perhaps just too much repetition? I dunno, i suppose it's meant to be like that, but jeez.
..
Pulled by the teeth perhaps, but 'Morning' is orrsome.
No disappointment here for some reason the hype missed me
and I only discovered this by chance. I love The Field, and this album is what I have been looking for. If you didn't adore it, then <how should I put this politely> are you sure that you had the volume loud ENOUGH and WOOx at 3
as to itunes, I have given up fighting them, I just make sure I do my back-ups