CD & DVD SG-14 - released by Amongst Projects April 10th 2007
“There's cloud-like music and serene ambience, surreal balance between electronica and good old acoustics, and an endless space for timeless emotions.” - Marius-Christian Burcea - RFI Romania
“Incredibly deep yet accessible even to ambient novices, Auburn Silhouette is a remarkable work, and Steve Roberts proves worthy enough to be listed alongside such masters of the form as Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and Vidna Obmana. ” - Matt Johnson - REGEN
AUBURN SILHOUETTE – AN ADVENTURE IN LIGHT AND SKY
The new release from celebrated Australian musician Steve Roberts aka. Amongst Myselves takes the listener on an unforgettable ambient journey through the elements.
Each track from ‘Auburn Silhouette’ evokes a different environmental experience, with inspiration drawn from outback South Australia and 12 months working and travelling overseas.
For the first time, the release is accompanied by a bonus DVD of three short films produced by Roberts and based on tracks from the album.
“This is one of my most rewarding pieces of work to date - and certainly a headphone experience,” says Roberts.
“I took a lot longer this time on my compositions as I felt I had rushed previous releases. It does take me a long time to meld the whole album together and I have realised that I prefer to take my time and enjoy the process,” he said. Contrast is a strong theme throughout the album and clearly seen in the tracks ‘Bay of Dreams’ and ‘Munstead Heath.’
In ‘Bay of Dreams’ Roberts calls upon treasured holiday memories to highlight the contrast between ‘the daily grind’ and ‘holiday calm’, with a segue between a sleepy lullaby and a cacophony of day-to-day noises. ‘Munstead Heath’ takes us from the snow and icicles of Roberts’ first Northern Winter to the intoxicating heat of Malaysia.
The tracks ‘Star’, ‘Southern Lights’ and ‘Up Into the Air and Over the Edge’ are brilliantly illustrated by Roberts short films or ‘wallpaper’, which showcase his skills in time lapse photography, astronomy, visual effects and electronics.
“I’m very excited to include my films with the release. As a film maker and sound producer by trade, creating film that helps convey the feelings within the tracks has been a long term goal for me,” he said.
Roberts has recently achieved solid international success with the inclusion of the track ‘ Distant Horizons’ on a new compilation album ‘Ultima Thule – Chasing the Dawn.’ The album features 78 minutes of previously unreleased music from the world’s most acclaimed ambient composers, among them Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Tim Story, Jeff Grinke and Thom Brennan.
Amongst Myselves made a first impression on the ambient music scene in 1999 with the release of ‘The Sun in the Bottle’.
The entire Amongst Myselves catalogue is available through CD Baby, iTunes, MSN Music, Emusic, Arvato, Sony Connect, Choice Records to mention just a few of a total of 49 companies.
‘Auburn Silhouette’ will be available from the 10th April 2007
Greybox Shadow - (drone)
The view from our house in the Adelaide Hills over looks a valley of Greybox trees (Eucalyptus microcarpa). These trees grow from 20 to 30 metres high. The trees come right up to the windows of our main living area and their trunks break up the view of the sky which in turn casts shadow onto our floors in the winter mornings. These shadows slowly dance on the floor on windy days.
Bay of Dreams - (ambient/drone)
The tourists have gone home after their summer holiday and the only residents and those who like the winter are left. We can hear the sounds of what appear to be the music to a sleepy lullaby. Then we hear a cacophony of noises - birds, footsteps, railway announcements, kisses, doors, jack hammers, shouting - day to day, noises nothing unusual. A dream is being realised but the rest of the world continues on its daily adventure. The loudness of day-to-day objects have been changed to reflect the listeners choice.
Star - (drone/experimental)
Alone and floating in space. The sudden and alarming sounds of the controls in the space suit alert you to make changes to your environment. A walk through an empty alien space ship or is it an alien itself ?
Munstead Heath - (experimental)
So warm inside but outside it snows and the sound of icicles chattering together. Inside, the long corridors are haunted with the memories of the previous 200 years. Time and place change. The smell of an afternoon storm on this sandy beach. The distant engines of the fishing boats drone you back to your resting place.
Hole in the Sky - (shoe gaze/ambient)
You stir to see a gap in the clouds. The noises of this Malaysian beach strangely disappear. The clouds dissipate to reveal a blue sky which quickly changes to dark green space where you are seated like a cinema goer watching the adverts before the feature. The film is just the planet Earth slowly rotating. It gets you thinking. The Earth seems like a small blue ball in the immensity of the cosmos and it is the only place we are able to survive for the foreseeable future. You are shown vignettes of environmental destruction and you begin to fret. The hole in my heart grows larger.
Southern Lights - (ambient/world)
Relief we are returned to the beach. Umm, this is not the same beach. Again we fall asleep (or are we awake ?) to the stars beautiful colours in the sky. The rhythms of your heart begin as you find your mind floating around the constellations. Once your heart has slowed down you rest in an unknown location in the cosmos to reflect on life and take full advantage of what little time a human has on Earth.
Up Into The Air and Over The Edge - (ambient)
Place change. Back on Earth you're lying in the timeless semi-arid landscape of the Flinders Ranges. But you're not in real time - the clouds flutter by and the night quickly comes around with the stars rotating in the sky almost causing nausea. It's warm and you are so at ease - there's a slight breeze on the air which is cooling but not at all cold. The sun sets again and the colours on the horizon change quickly through yellow orange red and purple to the dark blue and black of the night sky full of the holes from stars - the Milky Way hovers and rotates overhead. You've never been more relaxed and content.
Perfect Murmur - (ambient)
The side of a road in the darkness of the country side and it's absolutely silent apart from the sound of birds disturbed by your appearance. You are a bit phased and wonder where you are.
Winter of the Falling Stars - (rock)
Now you remember. That's right ! I'd stop at the side of the road to check the night sky. I return to my car and drive on. Not quite sure where I'd been or exactly where I was. Along the sides of the road I drive past people sitting in chairs looking into space like the Moai of the island of Rapa Nui. What are they waiting for ?