Félicia Atkinson & Christina Vantzou - Reflections Vol. 3: Water Poems (RVNG Intl.) [Ambient]
- The Slow Music Movement
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's May 2nd Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***
I have a feeling that Félicia Atkinson will never, or perhaps just doesn’t care to, escape her underground home and get the plaudits she deserves, not just as an amazing ambient-inclined artist but as the Shelter Press driving force, but what is certain is that her music and curation are always worth checking. I’m not really familiar with Christina Vantzou, although her name seems to crop up regularly on my travels through alternative circles, but she’s an equally talented, boundary-nudging multi-instrumentalist, composer and multi-media artist with a similar fondness for exploring less energetic music.
A few years ago I was something of a RVNG Intl. fanboy, although they haven’t been hitting the TSMM sweet spot as regularly in the last couple of years, but this Reflections series on the lable is unfailingly great; make sure you check out Steve Gunn & David Moore’s Vol. 1, and Black Decelerant’s Vol. 2 - both are excellent, but Atkinson and Vantzou have arguably surpassed both of them.
Atkinson supplies a fine whispered vocal, piano and pretty much anything with keys, and Vantzou does the same, but also throws in some guitar, percussion and that musical staple - processed liquids. It sounds like a lot, but they’ve got a light touch and holistic approach; there are no invasive sounds here to upset the sonic equilibrium. I don’t know whose voice is whose, but both have a seductive line in ASMR whispering, the gentle utterances just perfect for their meandering, inventive soundscape design, which is rich in short-lived but beneficial tones, field-recorded moments from who knows when and where, neoclassical ambient passages from sofa-bound orchestras, ritualist chimes unearthed from the ruins of temples to forgotten gods and politely insistent drones. It’s a wonderful ambient album, from two artists at the top of their game.
Playlist Companion
Find the duo in the Slow Ambient Playlist.
