ANDREW OSTLER - 'The Blind Sublime'
CSR352CD (MAY 2025)
CD in matt-laminate digipak
Barcode: 0641871746613
Andrew Ostler continues his artistic evolution towards choral beauty, orchestral textures, ambient drones and low woodwind, into the realms of Jóhann Jóhannsson, Arvo Pärt or Stars Of The Lid.
Building on the string arrangements of his previous LP "Dots On A Disk Of Snow", and taking a heavy dose of sax drone from an earlier album still, this record also adds a full choir, taking the music to another level of spiritual intensity.
On the first three compositions the drones are, for the most part, relatively gentle, while chant-like choral arrangements drift and weave around and above them. 'Affirmation' is quietly confident, with a surge of intensity around the midpoint; 'Confession' is perhaps more tentative, the shifting canon of the voices threatened by a distant storm of distorted synth shredding; 'Adoration' restores the straightforward choral beauty, building to an unashamed cadence.
The immense final track 'Meditation' is a quite different affair. Here the drones are more intense slabs, the choir is more demonstrative in its emotion, and the ultimate climax the more devastating for it. The journey is longer, but the rewards are greater for the committed.
Originally released on Andrew Ostler's own Expert Sleepers label on limited edition blue vinyl last year, Cold Spring are very proud to press this gem onto CD for the first time.
CD in matt-laminate digipak with sleeve design by Carl Glover.
Track listing:
CSR352CD (MAY 2025)
CD in matt-laminate digipak
Barcode: 0641871746613
Andrew Ostler continues his artistic evolution towards choral beauty, orchestral textures, ambient drones and low woodwind, into the realms of Jóhann Jóhannsson, Arvo Pärt or Stars Of The Lid.
Building on the string arrangements of his previous LP "Dots On A Disk Of Snow", and taking a heavy dose of sax drone from an earlier album still, this record also adds a full choir, taking the music to another level of spiritual intensity.
On the first three compositions the drones are, for the most part, relatively gentle, while chant-like choral arrangements drift and weave around and above them. 'Affirmation' is quietly confident, with a surge of intensity around the midpoint; 'Confession' is perhaps more tentative, the shifting canon of the voices threatened by a distant storm of distorted synth shredding; 'Adoration' restores the straightforward choral beauty, building to an unashamed cadence.
The immense final track 'Meditation' is a quite different affair. Here the drones are more intense slabs, the choir is more demonstrative in its emotion, and the ultimate climax the more devastating for it. The journey is longer, but the rewards are greater for the committed.
Originally released on Andrew Ostler's own Expert Sleepers label on limited edition blue vinyl last year, Cold Spring are very proud to press this gem onto CD for the first time.
CD in matt-laminate digipak with sleeve design by Carl Glover.
Track listing:
1. Affirmation (7:16)
2. Confession (7:06)
3: Adoration (6:04)
4. Meditation (19:28)
REVIEWS:
REVIEWS:
"Ostler dives into deep choral texture. Each of the four pieces here contain serene voices that float above tracks with equal shades of mystery, wonder and euphoria... Ostler guides us toward a flow state, where we can surrender to his stunning soundscapes" (Electronic Sound)
"This is music of transcendence, and perhaps transformation... A glimpse of something profound: not merely music, but a reflection of the sublime itself - blind, unknowable, and utterly captivating" (Chain D.L.K.).
"A beautifully wistful four-track release consisting mostly of choral and string samples, and heavily processed saxophone. While the vocals take center stage, it's the skillful layering behind the voices that elevate The Blind Sublime... A beautiful release" (Waveform Magazine)
"What makes this record so enticingly unique is the inclusion of the choir. The first three tracks are heavily orchestral in nature as the choir takes centre stage but we [then] go deep into the ambient at its most stark and pure - driven by drone and accompanied by the orchestra this time rather than dominated by it... Sublime indeed. This is a piece of music to be cherished" (5/5, Musique Machine)
"Opening with a striking full-choir chord, Andrew Ostler's The Blind Sublime draws immediate attention – as if to say "sit down, and listen"... This is as much ambient music as it is contemporary classical... The atmosphere ranges from gentle, confident to quite intense – with the choir in the leading role this is not ambient music of the 'ignorable' kind" (Ambient Blog)
"Üppige Chor-Arrangements am Emo-Maximum. Eingebettet in tiefe Drones und fragmentiert, durcheinandergewirbelt, immer wieder von den dunklen Flächen weggespült, werden diese aber wiederum zu etwas Anderem. Es ist ein Sound, der ganz mit dem Erhabenen spielt dieses aber immer wieder durch Schönheit unterspült. Ostler gelingt es, eine subtile Spannung zu halten, die von der Oberfläche in die Tiefe weist" (Groove)
"Een geestverruimend drankje waarvan elke druppel je in hogere sferen brengt, vloeiend in elkaar overlopende ontwapenende muziekstukken... Een onwennige verstilling verplettert ons tot een liefkozende nietigheid overblijft na onheilspellende intermezzo’s... Als je opgaat in en van alles loslaat tijdens deze oase, kom je geleidelijk aan terecht in een lange roes van intense sereniteit... The Blind Sublime zindert na, een eindeloze echo kruipt onder onze huid" (Luminous Dash)
Aranżacje chóru są niesamowicie klimatyczne... to harmonia jest tu królem i to specyficzne rozwiązania harmoniczne sprawiają, że na całym ciele słuchacza pojawia się gęsia skórka… Andrew Ostler wydał płytę bez wątpienia wybitną... Dla mnie to zdecydowanie jedno z najlepszych wydawnictw całego 2024 roku" (Anxious)
"Un album qui défie le temps, naviguant au dessus de géographies accueillantes et harmonieuses. Les chœurs tutoient des cimes de beauté éthérée, alors que les nappes s’enflamment avec douceur dans les profondeurs d’un espace à l’infini flottant... La gravité tutoie une certaine forme de fragilité, les mélodies formant des drones aux mouvements subtiles et envoûtants, plongeant l’auditeur dans un état méditatif à la puissance évocatrice éblouissante. Superbe" (Silence And Sound)
ANDREW OSTLER - 'The Blind Sublime' CD (CSR352CD)
- Record Label: - Cold Spring -
- Genre: Drone / Choral / Orchestral
- Availability: In Stock
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£11.50
Tags: ANDREW OSTLER, The Blind Sublime, Drone, Modern Classical, Choral, Orchestral, Synths