About DRAWING VIRTUAL GARDENS:
…This is deep, haunting, gorgeous music – “music for capricious souls adrift in noir-fi” – sounds right. The title 22:22 refers to that nocturnal hour when one can find oneself transitioning between the various states of wakefulness and dreaming. “Blankets of dense sub-bass coat minimal dub-like rhythmic structures… (Erik Lavander, Headphone Commute, 2023)
…Er zitten van die lieflijke details in, die wel aan The Boats, Tape of Seaman & The Tattered Sail doen denken, maar ook meer duistere en tot de verbeelding sprekende ambient die associaties oproepen met Federico Mosconi, Giulio Aldinucci, Loscil en Tim Hecker. Tot nu toe lijkt dit de meest duistere, maar tevens één van de meest intrigerende series te worden. Wat een donkere weelde!…(Jan Willem, De subjectivisten, 2023)
…But 22:22 is not all about drones—tracks like “Tu a mis un coeur sur le coeur d’Habuhiah” feature interwoven pulses across asynchronous and polymetric relationships. Of course, Gutman demonstrates that with the right approach, rhythm may be easily treated as textural, such as when percussive elements are introduced about halfway through this track. Through sparse and judicious placement of events, rhythms feel less like driving beats and more like temporal direction, aiding the music in its natural journey from one place to the next and aligning with the theme of the record. In other tracks, such as “You were able to be patient and kind with the angel,” rhythms are present not in the form of transient events but staccato repetitions of loops and phrases, lending a sense of pulse without traditional percussion…. (Perfect Circuit, 2023)
…Ambient-drone, classificazione che pesa ma descrive nel miglior modo il lento andare, di loop in loop, di un suono che rapisce generando onde di infinita poesia digitale. ITER-AZIONE CONCENTRICA…(Mirco Salvadori, Rockerilla N. 436, Dec 2016)
…Much of the music is ingrained with a gentle and caressing touch, such as the nocturnal ambience of “98.36bpm”, a tune set to soar on the sea of the unconscious mind, downplaying a certain eerieness in favour of a honeyed drift that shines and drips clavically in torsion down the body of the piece. Ultimately these sounds are that of the lesser heard kind. They are not minimalist, because minimalism is often a paradox in itself, preferring a deep immersion in change and maximal ideas. That said, the charm and continuity of the moody tones bears a lot of emotional power, connection is made and we dive in.
DVG offer a very good textural ambient mood album on first “full” listen. I was impressed by the space in the recordings. The use of reverb connects all the pieces together nicely. The tracks have a concise attitude and atmosphere to them. With such staunch and sopiferous usage of source sounds, comes a fine catalogue addition. (Mick Buckingham, Fluid Radio, 02/11/16)
…you’ll only be able to let the music completely sink in. That comfort level is also achieved through the organic production of the record. Sound-wise, it’s not afraid to be raw and aggressive when necessary (‘Corpus Membrane Reverb’ and its thick and low guitar textures), clean and delicate (‘Stealing a Sound out of the Tropic’), or soaked in warm tape hiss (‘Tatapatata’). The Osmotic Memory of J. J. Bhagee carries a perfect vibe—one that’s very close to what I’ve already learned to expect from its label. I hope this collaboration will be sustained or perhaps even expanded because I’d be glad to see Gutman collaborating with somebody else from the Flaming Pines roster. (The Heathen Harvest, 25/01/16)
What I like about Gutman’s work is his total neglect towards genres. Sure, you can easily place this one any ambient shelve but there’s always more to it with Drawing Virtual Gardens. On this album too I can hear influences from jazz, classical and drone music. Opener ‘Stealing A Sound Out Of The Tropic’, for instance nudges fiercely towards acts like Dale Cooper Quartet and the Dictaphones, which is loudly applauded in this household. (Serge, MErchants of Air – 29/10/15)
..The arrangement patterns on this particular album, deal with that fractal nature to a point of bold disclosure. Pianosflutter in fragile feelings. Guitars pull out the plugs and reshape their sonic signals into balls of wool. The overall glaze is the same – semi-permeable, semi-final, but at the same time the creators have matured their workload so that it fits together in more succinct forms, which causes it to have more of a priority listening function. The emotions and their meaning are prismed by the context of electroacoustic sustenance gleaned from listening research. (Mick Buckingham, Fluid Radio – 21/05/15).
…Ad alternarsi sono momenti di pura introspezione e passaggi più osservativi: se i secondi si mantengono su livelli di indiscutibile classe, è nei primi che il disco raggiunge i suoi apici. Laddove dunque all’analisi dell’istantanea è preferito un inchino allo scorrere del tempo autentico… (Matteo Meda, Ondarock – 09/04/15)
About TROPIC OF COLDNESS
E se ascolto dopo ascolto si identificano e si apprezzano i suoni creati da “Tropic of Coldness”, se ascolto dopo ascolto ti accompagnano in mondi musicali che si creano istantanea”mente” significa che il paziente lavoro di Gutman e La Placa – ma anche di altri che in questa occasione non voglio nominare per correttezza – ha prodotto un risultato di tutto rispetto, quattro composizioni suddivise su due facciate tra le quali voglio segnalare la conclusiva “Diving for Pearls” con in apertura i sottili accordi di chitarra stratificati avvolti dal tappeto elettronico dal quale emergono i suoni ambientali delle onde che fluttuano sopra i “cercatori di perle” (Alessandro Nobis, Il diapason, April 2019)
The rest of the album drives on similar elements: minimal, abstract and soothing. ‘The Loss Of Empathy’ brings me to people like Aidan Baker and Stratosphere, with their guitar based soundscapes which seem to go on forever. Still, tiny variations make this music interesting and captivating. Perhaps that is the main message in this beautiful album: create a nice sonic trip that invited the listener to be explored again and again. In that, Tropic Of Coldness definitely succeeded (Serge Timmers, Merchants of Air, April 2019)
The Brussels-based duo present their new LP on the KrysaliSound label, and it’s a perfect home for their fusion of guitar drones, field recordings and hushed vocals. Since 2011 Tropic of Coldness have pursued a blissed-out take on harmonic ambience that folds ethereal elements into their compositions. There are rarely any sharp edges on their output, only the smoothest of shapes inhabit their sculpted sounds (Darren McClure, Toneshift, April 19).
…If you’ve been intrigued by any of the sounds I’ve reviewed for Fluid Radio in the past 130 instalments, I can say this is one of the most memorable and affecting for me — it is right up my street, I can listen and savour it like a creamy curry sauce. Tropic Of Coldness produce creamy and dreamy ambient gems, and with “Demography Of Data”, they’ll solidify their place as needed chefs…. (Mick Buckingham, Fluid Radio – Jan/15)
…Tout part souvent d’une boucle, un enregistrement de terrain qui se répète, puis disparait. Des ambiances de rue dans une ville sans voiture, le glissement des mains sur le magnétophone. Les deux membres de Tropic of Coldness étirent les cordes de leurs guitares, viennent jouer avec l’ambiance, on pense à Robert Fripp, aux premiers albums de Labradford, c’est un compliment. Ce deuxième album confirme leur maitrise dans la retenue…. (Flavie Gille’, The Field Reporter, 06/05/13)
…Tropic of Coldness is extremely effective in transcribing mood. The duo leans toward the dark ambient of Cold Spring Records, but doesn’t quite topple over. While synths and guitar loops form the basis of the recordings, the other sounds lend a frozen texture: hangers and boilers, sliding and knocking, echoed percussion, and the ever-present rail: here again, back again, one more day. Commuting is a lonely set of songs that looks for catharsis, but never finds any. It’s a reminder that even as much of the world turns to spring, some places and hearts are stuck in winter. And if the world leaves them behind, will they ever find their way to the light? (Richard Allen, A Closer Listen, 12/04/12)
David Gutman 