More Ambient Serenity from Abstract Aprils

A most sincere thank you to everyone venturing back into The Closet Concert Arena!  I thought this week the perfect time to travel down the ambient path...a tranquil journey I enjoy as much as I need.  This section of the prog garden is a wonderful place to clear your mind, body, soul, and just relax.

As an extra bonus, I reconnected with an old friend I met because of this blog, enjoying his music ever since.  Abstract Aprils is the filter your body needs when the world comes at you 500 miles an hour and all you want to do is step off the carousel for a time out.

Never known to follow the masses, Abstract Aprils recently released a series of singles with the end goal being a complete album.  So in keeping with that mindset let us sit under a set of headphones allowing a new crop of ambient sounds to wash over like that first breath of fresh spring air following a way too long winter doldrums...

"Blair Eyes" gets the party started...and quickly I remember why I so fell in love with the ambient section of the prog garden.  Simply stated this piece is a cleansing of the soul...the washing away of all the grime the world manages to fling at you.  By the end of the day you yearn for a long peaceful shower to wash it all away and this is it.  The top notes of Robert Fripp are so aromatic as to make you wonder if Abstract Aprils were part of The League of Crafty Guitarists.  Even Byrne and Eno come through delicately from a transcendent perspective...

The next sound to make its way through the headphones is "Bedroom," and a more aptly named piece of music I cannot think of at the moment.  The music melts across your auditory sensors and proceeds to cascade gently down your neck, flowing through your entire body like aloe on a sunburn. Abstract Aprils captures the essence of ambient music right here; there is a calming effect that slowly overtakes your mind and spirit as you listen.

Liner Notes...those of you with good memories will recall Abstract Aprils is the alter-ego of one Collin Welner who calls Missoula, Montana home.  Collin has been recording under the Abstract Aprils moniker for about five years with several recordings to his credit. The challenge with ambient music is discovery; I know it's out there and I enjoy the soothing benefits it offers but as of yet I have not found a radio station with this subgenre included in the playlist.

Collin is an artist in the truest sense of the word--he performs his craft because he enjoys it.  There are many in the ambient section of the prog garden who are recognized as great artists; Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Harold Budd, Can, even David Byrne has some notable ambient music in his catalog.  Still others, Twyla Tharp and Philip Glass among them, have recorded music that would fall under the ambient umbrella.  But for every Eno the are dozens of Abstract Aprils--and I mean that in a most respectful way.  Collin has put together some beautiful recordings and soundscapes...all you need to do is tune in and relax...

The next piece to emit from the headphones like a calming siren is "The Dawning" and its seamless flow into "Glimme."  The music expands your thoughts as you get lost in the moment...wandering through the doors in your mind like a tourist at Buckingham Palace.

You can purchase these latest releases and more from Abstract Aprils at bandcamp and audiosocket.
There is facebook and Twitter @AbstractAprils for keeping with the latest information on the band.

I posted "I Won't Fight" for your relaxation and mental "aroma" therapy this week.  Here Abstract Aprils lays bare all there is in the world of ambient music; soothing soundscapes, gentle patterns, and a sound that seems to come mildly from the other side of a mountain.  The canvas is running with pastel hues as the brush floats silently across its face, leaving a picture as delicate as the sounds wafting through the headphones.  Put this on and enjoy the day, putting aside the clamor of the outside world...


                  

So there you are my fellow progheads, a beautiful respite from all the madness and mayhem that surrounds you every day.  Abstract Aprils is that breath of fresh air you were looking for when you wandered into the ambient section in the first place.

One of the reasons I can enjoy so many sections of the prog garden is the "mind cleansing" I get when I spend time tuned in to ambient music.  To truly appreciate all sections of the prog garden one must occasionally "make a pit stop."  Abstract Aprils and others of the like allow the listener to do just that, all the while taking an enjoyable ride on the smoothest of mood elevators.

Of course when the elevator reaches the ground floor one must venture out so as to enjoy the next stop on the journey.  So as the search for all things prog continues, I remind you to savor the moment...until next time...