Bill Binkelman ("Wind & Wire") (USA)

From the "Electroshock Records" label in Russia comes what is, in my opinion, the first must-have album of the year. It's also the early leader for the top chill-out/ambient recording of 2003. "Midway" unites the assorted guitars (acoustic and electric) of Valery Siver with the electronics and beats of Kiryll Trepakov and the result is, well, fuckin' brilliant. Imagine locking Pat Metheny, Bruce BecVar and Aphex Twin (from his SAW II days) in a room with the command to "Play nice together!" and you may get some idea of the delights this CD holds. However, in this case, the whole is infinitely more rewarding than sum of any similar parts, such as the ones I just wrote above.

Veering from smooth as chromium chill-ambient, cushioned by liquid synths and anchored with glitch beats, to sparkly warm new age tunes, to mysterious shadowy synth soundscapes, the tracks on "Midway" are unified by some of the most innovative integrating of assorted guitars with electronics and beats I've heard in, well, maybe forever. Like I wrote above, fuckin' brilliant!

Opening with the strumming of a guitar mixed with foreboding undercurrents of percussive effects and minor key synths on "N-tro" "Midway" starts to really gel on "Stress" where the tasty and catchy glitch beats are first introduced. Swirling synths and skip/glitch rhythms coalesce around plaintive acoustic guitar with a slight Spanish courtyard flavor. "Hot Wind" is the first Bruce BecVar-tinted song, as mellow guitar flits over synth strings, a butterfly-winged flute sample, and twinkling bells - charming is too understated a word, and when midtempo beats are gradually folded into the mix, a grin of sheer delight will come on your face, I'd wager.

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