The Quiet Details label may be relatively young (started in 2023), but quickly managed to work itself to the forefront of ambient(-related) music labels. Which is of course mainly due to the many great artists presenting their work here, but also to their dedication to build their own community by actively promoting listening sessions for every release. So now, after only three years of existence, they present their 50th release.
Variant is Stephen Hitchell, a Detroit veteran known for many releases (under various aliases) on the Echospace label, and also for his collaboration with Rod Modell.
You’ll probably recognize this sound immediately: extended soundscapes, completely filled with echoes and dub effects from which there is no escape possible. In fact there’s hardly any room left for silence.
The CD-version is an 80-minute continuous mix ‘submerged in cathartic waves of interstellar bliss’. It is a special mix of different, unique versions and new material created by Stephen Hitchell himself ‘to make the physical unique’.
It also is different from the digital version, which is much longer with its 121 minute playing time. Most of the tracks on this version are long itself: three are almost half an hour, two are 15 minutes and the only exception is ‘Beyond The Stars’: the shortest track of the collection with ‘only’ eight minutes.
There’s a literal relation to the cosmos on this album: the basis sounds are taken from NASA’s sound archive, but have been ‘manipulated and resynthesized throughout the duration of this sonic experience’.
‘Infinitely spacious – echoing chords and endlessly sustaining pads establish an emotional core, surrounded by highly-processed astral transmissions and organic analogue noise. Always underpinned by sub-bass reminiscent of the lowest frequencies emanating from the studios of Jamaica.’
Don’t forget: buyers of the CD version (which comes with a fine art print of the album artwork) can contact Quiet Details to receive an additional download code for the longer digital version.
