Max Richter - Infra/Jonsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps

I'm making further inroads in ambient territory. With very mixed results, however. Max Richter's Infra was a disappointment. Apparently it was recorded in a single day and as far as I'm concerned one can tell. It's listenable but kind of banal. In contrast to his Memoryhouse it doesn't have the kitschy slip-ups. But neither does it flourish some of the rare gems on that disc. It's a fairly monochrome album, almost literally so as a lot of it is radio static, mixed with some wistful, neo-romantic chamber music snippets. I listened to it only once and it didn't make a big impression on me.

Riceboy Sleeps is the result of a collaboration between Sigur Ros's frontman Jonsi and his partner Alex Somers. It's a genuine ambient album, 70 minutes of acoustic clouds wafting through the speakers. I believe that given the right setting and mood, the album can have an impact. It certainly captures something of the ethereal, unearthly atmosphere of the Icelandic interior. As soft background music for a meditation session, or as an acoustic accompaniment for a long car ride it certainly won't disappoint. But I don't think there is much more to say about it.