The Green Kingdom - The Green Kingdom
[Sem Label]

Mike Cottone, the author behind The Green Kingdom, hails from Detroit, a city more commonly associated with its techno scene than the electro-acoustic ambient work featured on this self-titled release. Blurring the lines between digital processing and acoustic instrumentation, The Green Kingdom weaves folk elements and fractured synth waves poetically through his music. Everything about this record, from its title through to the eye-catching green artwork is steeped in organic influences.

A sharp focus on melody is retained on several tracks, but most notably on the lulling “Amniopod”. Like an intricate piece of origami, this composition is structured exquisitely; the toy piano chimes, soft rainfall-like sound and crisp pitter-patter scratches throw a warm blanket of sound reassuringly around every inch of your body.

The effervescent “Mei Lei” combines bird song, shimmering drones and samples of leaves crunching underfoot. This simple, emotive piece captures the solace found during daybreak, just as shards of sun light begin the creep through the thick canopies of deciduous trees. The slow motion chimes seem to drip like the early morning precipitation that falls to the ground from the leaves.

The recent Harold Budd / Robin Guthrie collaboration (After The Night Falls & Before The Day Breaks - review link) comes to mind throughout, there is a celestial, almost breathless quality about “The Green Kingdom”. It is the sort of album that only leaves a vague impression initially, but reveals its depths as its layers dissolve and unfold the mystery with every listen.

“La Poussière Et Mémoires” draws in some graying clouds to this release. The abstract guitar progression is blanketed with velvet melodies and barely audible pin-drop crackles that act as comforting percussive elements. The grainy ambiance of “Broken Moonbeams”, on the other hand, gives off a nocturnal aura or, instead, the sort of sounds that are perfect for a rain swept day spent indoors alone. The soft vocal tones are purposefully placed towards the end in such a manner that they only enhance such sentiments of tranquility.

If anything, “The Green Kingdom” possibly overstays its welcome; you can get too much of a good thing, after all. The last two tracks (“Nocturne 2” and “Cherry Sunrise”) although undeniably poignant, clock in at a whopping 20 minutes in total, accounting for almost a third of this album. This isn’t a criticism as such, as stand-alone compositions they are as beautifully performed as the other pieces. But I couldn’t shake the feeling Cottone could shaved some time off “The Green Kingdom” without detracting from its impact.

Petty issues aside, “The Green Kingdom” is a sparkling debut release of bucolic ambient music from the Parisian Sem Label that features gorgeous sounds extracted from toy pianos, processed guitar, glockenspiel and harp-like instruments. It is the sort of record that will take you deep into the heart of the forest, where you can almost touch the flora and smell the aromatic eucalyptus emanating from the evergreen trees.

Track Listing:

01. Toy Guitar, Hiss, Anxiety Etc.
02. Amniopod
03. Mei-Li
04. La Poussière Et Memoires
05. Broken Moonbeam
06. Wind Up Wildlife
07. Miniature Forest
08. Nocturne2
09. Cherry Sunrise