REVIEWS: Augen is the
artist name of Portuguese DJ Gabi Van Dub.
Active in the emerging Portuguese electronic
scene since the late nineties, he has been
spinning records here and there in partnership
with event promoters Quest4Goa and the independent
Womblabel. His debut as Augen is titled “Kawaii”
and is published by MiMi Records, a Portuguese
netlabel dedicated to promoting Japanese and
Portuguese music alone. The
release is described as “5 songs that
lead us to a look [sic] almost dreamlike
embryonic world, nature will always operate
independently of human cycles. A look from
the moss from the morning dew, a calm look
on the rush of the world and their archetypes
through ambient techno sounds sometimes
dark but will view with clarity of thought.”
It starts off with some
peaceful drones on the first track and builds
up into a rhythm during the second. The
laidback ambient electronics remain the
focal point of the music throughout the
entire release. The sounds are contemplative,
passing you by, revolving around subdued
sounds loops and soft pads. It’s not
the best thing since the invention of sliced
bread, but it does radiate a sense of deep
calm and immersive atmosphere, which is
nice if you’re looking for music to
let yourself go.
Also worth mentioning
is the excellent cute cover which fits nicely
with the serene sounds. I fail to acknowledge
the same connection between the tracks and
the album title though. But it might also
be me just being picky.
NETLABELISM
(01.2013) |
