![\"Relic](\"https:\/\/www.ambientblog.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Relic-Radiation.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBEN BERTRAND \u2013 RELIC RADIATION<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\nRelic Radiation <\/em><\/strong>is Ben Bertrand<\/em><\/strong>\u2018s<\/em> fourth solo album since his 2018 debut NGC 1999<\/a> (not counting two collaboration albums with Otto Lindholm and Manah Depauw), and the second release on the Belgian Stroom.tv label. <\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve heard his music before (or saw him perform live, which I heartily recommend) you\u2019ll have no problem recognizing his sound. The way he plays his (bass) clarinet and embeds it into abstract layers of electronics is a personal \u2018interpretation of the bass clarinet as an instrument of the avant-garde\u2019.<\/em> <\/p>\nDon\u2019t let the \u2018avant-garde\u2019 put you off: most of his music sounds gentle, and subdued. But at the same time, a lot is going on within: hints of fragile melodies, occasional minimalist loops \u2013 \u201can at times almost sequenced feel to treated and overdubbed bass clarinet end clarinet notes\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cThe music is competent and familiar, distant without being distant. There is no predefined form or context here. It is a different kind of colour. Touching upon ambient and cosmic as well as earthy sceneries, his is a gentle musical paradox come to life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nThe (seven) tracks on Relic Radiation<\/em> were all composed during a residency in Slovakia, in the water mill of the Slovakian National Gallery<\/a> in Pezinok. Judged by the music (and by the photos in the link) this is an inspiring \u2013 and peaceful \u2013 place to create music.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve heard his music before (or saw him perform live, which I heartily recommend) you\u2019ll have no problem recognizing his sound. The way he plays his (bass) clarinet and embeds it into abstract layers of electronics is a personal \u2018interpretation of the bass clarinet as an instrument of the avant-garde\u2019.<\/em> <\/p>\n Don\u2019t let the \u2018avant-garde\u2019 put you off: most of his music sounds gentle, and subdued. But at the same time, a lot is going on within: hints of fragile melodies, occasional minimalist loops \u2013 \u201can at times almost sequenced feel to treated and overdubbed bass clarinet end clarinet notes\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe music is competent and familiar, distant without being distant. There is no predefined form or context here. It is a different kind of colour. Touching upon ambient and cosmic as well as earthy sceneries, his is a gentle musical paradox come to life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The (seven) tracks on Relic Radiation<\/em> were all composed during a residency in Slovakia, in the water mill of the Slovakian National Gallery<\/a> in Pezinok. Judged by the music (and by the photos in the link) this is an inspiring \u2013 and peaceful \u2013 place to create music.<\/p>\n