Phil Western - "Laborandum" CD

Veteran electronic composer Western has quietly amassed an extensive, widely-varied, and highly collectible catalog of solo work outside of his better-known work with cEvin Key as Download and Plateau. "Laborandum" amicably sums up his solo work (both under his own name and as Kone) into a cohesive 54-minute set. 

Opening with the elegantly lush urban techno of "303", Western's combination of Detroit-style grooves, mellow West-coast psychedelia, and a post-industrial sense of sound manipulation come together splendidly on cuts like "Ke Bop Bop". "I Roll The Nickels" deftly uses samples of Charlie Manson alongside otherworldly electronic blips and beats. "Angels", the exclusive track here, is a dark slice of hallucinogenic electronica that reminds of classic Severed Heads with a modern ambient twist. The remaining tracks don't falter, either, and although "Laborandum" could be packed with more music, and plenty of Western's works remain criminally out of print, this is a superb place to sample his skilled sounds and beats. (Rustblade Records)

Map Music/Outersanctum releases (including Phil Western)

Any fans of intelligent and complex ambient and electronic music from some fine Vancouver artists should check this page:

Outersanctum Music

Rare and out of print Map Music CDs are available again, in very limited quantities, for only $12US apiece, including shipping (in North America). The releases include long unavailable recordings by Phil Western (a member of Download and platEAU, among others), Mere Mortals, Pilgrims Of The Mind, Cooldown (with a remix by Western), and the classic and seminal "Welcome To Lotus Land" compilation.

This may be your last chance to find these releases without paying exorbitant collectors prices, so hop to it!

Beehatch - "Beehatch" CD

This international collaboration between Canadian electronic composer Phil Western and English sound collagist Mark Spybey has been brewing for quite some time. Initially meeting over a decade ago when both were members of terror-tronica project Download, these two rekindled their friendship in 2007 to create this wonderful slab of indescribably delicious sounds, textures, rhythms, and melodies. From the beginining ambiance of 'First Song', these two move into realms of experimental-sound-poetry pop in 'Facing Up To The Facts', and the monumental soundtrack ebb-and-flow of 'God Is So Good, God Is SO Dub', which sounds like a coastal tide being played with a string quartet (which gives way to a kind of junk-store dub at the conclusion). Nice and unpredictable! 'Warm And Fuzzy' is a classic old-skool electro piece, whereas the aptly-titled 'I Think I'm Chinese' has an appropriately chimey oriental motif. 'I See Your Light Dying' is a weird and trippy dub experience with Spybey's distorted vocals and a sound that recalls their earlier work in Download, actually, and certainly better than that group's recent output. A joy to listen to, and a top-notch audio adventure for ears that crave both the jarring and the soothing, Beehatch is a sure winner, and I'm looking forward to the tour and future recordings, already. Bravo! (Lens Records)

Floatpoint - "Beam Error" 2xCD

Originally released in super-limited quantities in 1995, this ambient techno gem from space cadets Dan Handrabur (Mere Mortals, Weed) and Phil Western (Download, Beehatch) has seen collector interest drive prices of original CDs to extremely high levels. With this in mind, Western has seen fit to re-release it (again in limited quantities, though) - while adding on an entire second disc of rare and unreleased works. Considering that the peak of this scene was well over a decade ago, one would assume that this sound would seem passe and dated by now. But to the contrary, Floatpoint's smooth electronic grooves are as cool and collected (and collectible) now as they were then. Splices of dub and tribal sounds filter through the duo's mellow beats and sequences, and all seems to blend together into a peaceful and soulful mode of escape. As in the rhythmic (yet chilled-out) 'Luna', Floatpoint creates spacious and warm grooves tailormade for home listening and reflection. The bonus disc includes some extended improvisations (some with friend Dwayne Goettel of Skinny Puppy fame), and unreleased cuts from the 'Beam Error' era, and these are of course in the same realm, if a little more indulgent in spots. Still, this is a gorgeous set worthy of more widespread attention and release. Close your eyes and drift away... (The Record Company)