This album asks for time and patience. If you give it both, it may lead you on a journey of discovery, perhaps into underground, watery spheres.
It comes as no surprise that Voices From The Lake unites two excellent producers: Donato Dozzy and Neel, one of my favourite minimal artists. Both were established solo acts when they teamed up in 2011.
Listening closely, I hear organic soundscapes emerge. Some capture nature in sound, while others evoke the feeling of something lurking just beneath the surface of dark water, or the play of colours shimmering as ripples spread slowly across the surface. The music carries the depth and darkness of the water, where a subtle life is sensed but never fully reveals itself. Above all, it conjures the quiet mystery of the water and the secrets it keeps, while its gentle flow soothes the mind and brings a deep calm.
HHV Magazine aptly described them as "immaculate sculptors of sound who fuse evocative ambient and leftfield techno into multi-layered soundscapes," "using banks of analogue and digital equipment to improvise in the moment." It added: "Rather than traditional kick drums, hi-hats or snares, this is music crafted from layers of real-world sound." In 2023, More than ten years later, the album was finally released on vinyl.
In "Circe + S.T. VFTL Rework", a clearer, brighter and more fluid sound emerges from a dark, mysterious drift of water. Over twelve minutes, a dynamic play of moving water unfolds, at first uncertain, then increasingly fluid and driving. A clear formation of water takes shape, and with it a play of thoughts in the mind.
Throughout the album new formations arise spontaneously from the interplay of different rhythmic components. To me, this mirrors what happens in nature, where things react to one another and slowly give rise to something new. From chance encounters, something unexpected is born and begins to grow. This album brings that dynamic of nature to life: sound textures and rhythms recreate what nature does only far more slowly. Slowly unfolding textures spread out, react to one another, and then react to each other's reactions.
Put on "Mika + H.G.S." and see if you can hear what I seem to hear: Bouncing, undulating rhythms begin to grow one by one and, after a while, merge into a shared sound structure. At the climax of their meeting, at 8:10, there is a rupture. It discharges as if everything that existed ist reforming into something completely new. Together, the rhythms gather fresh energy and create something new. For me, these moments, which you can discover throughout the album, take my breath away. It takes patience, but like nature, it rewards those who slow down and watch.
listen to the album
