Various Artists

2008 release ** Comes in a folded A2-poster sleeve. "The Belgian label Consouling Sounds, which specializes in guitar drone and has already released, among other things, the fantastic remix LP by N entitled "Bergen: Skizzen + Notiz" (Bergen: Sketches + Notes), has released the CD "Magnetic Fields & Zero Dimension Planes," a compilation that can confidently be described as a current overview of the genre. The opening track is a highlight, as "Amsterdam 2 Uhr Nachts" is the first sign of life from the German band (Multer) in a long time, and wherever they are, N and Mirko Uhlig are not far behind, both of whom also deliver absolutely atmospheric, droning highlights. The contributions from Blyndhead, Distant FiresBurning, IAM, Monotoson, Nihilum, Premonition Factory, Simulacra, Soundsketching and Tzene are in no way inferior. Rather, the 12 ambient and diverse tracks, all of which were recorded exclusively for this release, flow effortlessly, and their compactness suggests a complete album rather than a compilation. The only drawback is the CD's somewhat cheap-looking A5 folding poster packaging (not a CD-R!) in a plastic bag, but the more than reasonable price of just €5 (at least directly from the label) more than makes up for it. Therefore, I recommend "Magnetic Fields & Zero Dimension Planes" as a starting point or guide through the increasingly dense jungle of the guitar drone ambient sector, and it doesn't always have to be Nadja or Troum."