Anyone, who deals with drone music, knows that this form of music was born in the 60's. La Monte Young is one of the early pioneers and of course not Sunn or Earth. The border between drone and ambient is often blurred as is the case in the new album from NINTH DESERT which is the latest solo project of French musician Cyril Herry, also known before as Ashes To Ashes, Sechres Mound (a duo in collaboration with Toy Bizarre), Lecanora and Exotoendo. 'Neyss' consists of nine soundscapes that are as deep and dark as the universe. At times, a few of the songs as 'X-Hi' or 'Trees' are accompanied by a metallic grinding and arouse connotations of abandoned industrial wastelands. Cyril Herry manages to create a powerful, intensive atmosphere, which at the same time can be very surrealistic as, for example, 'A.W'. 'Stalker' is the most abstract song here and has nothing to do with drone and/or ambient. What I also like very much is that NINTH DESERT is free from any Tangerine Dream/Cluster quotations. Not because I don't like both bands, but in the long term it is as boring as all the heavy rock groups that imitate the music of the 70's. The album takes the listener on a journey through alienation and isolation, but also offers the possibility to look to your inner self. With a very atmospheric rise of tension, which also sounds very etherial, 'Neyss' is the prefect soundtrack for your cerebral cinema with amazing suggestive power. All in all, another quality release from Japan's Deserted Factory and as usual this album is strictly limited to 150 copies.

(KK)

ninthdesert.free.fr/

www.desertedfactory.com