Gaston Aravelo - Terrain - A Strangely Isolated Place / ASIPV 024

Gaston Arevalo debuts on A Strangely Isolated Place with an exploratory themed album told through the lens of an expedition diary - a rich soundtrack set amongst nature. Gaston aimed to depict an adventurous journey, where each track captured a specific moment over an imaginary, daring ascension. An intimate meeting with nature, the album rises from the ground to our highest peaks - with the two extremes captured in the album's artwork. Field recordings from Patagonia enhance the feeling of freedom, one can only find from the great outdoors. Adorned with drifting harmonies; shimmering guitars; dense pads of cloud; gentle rising mists; the sound of shallow rivers and morning bird-calls, it all comes together to create a vivid and intrepid scene told across a variety of full-length tracks and short interludes - breathers and moments to reflect amongst mother-natures finest grandeur.

Much has changed since we last hear from Gaston Arevalo back in 2013, when we were rather impressed by his "Rollin Ballads" album on Octav. Here the often-overlooked ambient producer delivers a fine belated sequel that was apparently designed as, "a themed albuk told through the lens of an expedition diary". In effect it's a kind of imaginary soundtrack, with Arevalo setting his impeccable musical movements - think colourful but enveloping ambient chords, swelling synth-strings, slow-burn electronic melodies and barely recognisable, processed guitar sounds - to atmospheric field recordings made in Patagonia. It's a stunning combination all told, with frequently emotive results.