Possessed by a unique atmospheric sensitivity he is currently exploring the sonic territory of Spacemusic's 1970s Berlin-School - utilizing a number of classic electronic instruments, among them a substantial three cabinet "Synthesizers Dot Com" modular system.

In Winter 2015 Ombient will be joined on-stage at various venues by fellow Electronic Musician Chuck van Zyl. These concerts will mark the release of the new Ombient soloo studio CD Sectio Aurea (Synkronos Music).

In a vocabulary of repeating patterns the duo navigates their own tributary of the Berlin-School. Dancing arpeggio notes, resonant analogue tones and interlocking percussion accents surge out of breathing synthesizer swells - while soft percussive chiffs and royal electronic bleeps echo out across vividly imagined distances. As deeply breathing chords stack up and sustain, machine-like synchronized sequencer runs gain momentum - cycling in lock step against a trail of echoes and dreamy tonal interplay.

Hunter's analog style step sequencer, and its seemingly endless facility for composition, repetition and variation, drives this music's motoric tick-tock timing. Amidst this kinetic kaleidoscope of live concert rhythm, van Zyl releases a ribbon of heroic synth leads, as well as soft Mellotron flutes, strings and choirs. The beauty of this work comes from its many strands, heard individually and comprehended collectively.

Mike Hunter (a.k.a. Ombient) finds inspiration in an almost mythical past of 1970s Berlin, while pursuing the present day's desire for modernity. Sectio Aurea is in part Hunter's own interpretation of the classic Departure From the Northern Wasteland - a further cultivation of Michael Hoenig's imaginings by a musician who recognizes the value of this work. With a whirlwind intelligence in its glowing prime, he connects to strategies central to Spacemusicians across the globe. Electricity is transformed into sound through an impressive collection of vintage and modern modular synthesizers and keyboards. Large sonic forms dominate the soundfield. The engaging locomotive power of Hunter's sequencer manipulations and breakdowns bring a pumping pulse to Sectio Aurea. An ever-evolving rotating syncopation feels captivating to us - gained as the firing order of arpeggio notes spiral down into unpredictable slots. A highly specific set of possible chromatic symmetries support a range of confident synth lead lines. Declaring the musician's narrative these full-bodied analog expressions sing in electric ribbons of sound. Echoing notes repeat and resound in synchronized layers of mechanized rhythms, until the concluding track resolves this journey, settling the listener into the drifting reverie of gently humming circuits and charged solid states. A blood member of the clan of electricity, Hunter makes a spark, in the night, in The Universe.

Sectio Aurea, the new CD by Ombient, is available online through CD Baby.

excerpt from Sectio Aurea by Ombient

Interview with Mike Hunter

Ombient w/Chuck van Zyl - Winter 2015/2016 Concerts

MUSIC WITH SPACE/WPRB - Saturday 2 January 2016
DIGITAL DREAMS/WLFR - Tuesday 29 December 2015
STAR'S END/WXPN - Sunday 27 December 2015

Please Check Back for Updates

For more about Ombient, please access the:

• Official Website: www.ombient.com
• MUSIC WITH SPACE website: www.musicwithspace.com
• STAR'S END Profile: www.starsend.org/ombient.html
• The Gatherings Concert Series website includes details on the Ombient performances in Philadelphia: www.thegatherings.org
• Electronic/Ambient Music Marathon on WLFR article from Press of Atlantic City

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