Harold Budd & Robin Guthrie

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4...according to our Business Lady on Thu 03 Mar, 2011.

'Bordeaux' sees the reuniting of ambient music heavyweights Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and Harold Budd (respected solo artist and Brian Eno collaborator) for what I believe is their third record together in recent years. Widely acknowledged to be leaders in the field and respected artists in their own right it's my assumption that when these two combine forces the pillars of ambient heavens literally shake. 'Bordeaux' was written and recorded in a studio just outside of Bordeaux, France. Here Guthrie fuses his shimmering guitar tones against the elegant piano playing of Harold Budd to create an exceptionally warm if slightly studious ambient workout. Melodically this is strong piece of work with class moments. 'So Many Short Years' has the tone of a sombre moment in some 80s teen movie and is delivered so tastefully it's difficult not to be impressed. They're like the Wyld Stallyns of the ambient world, uniting all planets and races in universal harmony. Lots of nice moments here but definitely one for a quiet night in. Don't go playing it at your disco parties.

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Unquestionably the two masters of sonic beauty, minimalism and modern ambient. We feel there is nothing better than an artist with a sound so completely original and unique unto himself that it is instantly recognizable. This gift is widely acknowledged to be one bestowed on both Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Budd. What's even more significant, however, is how the signature style of each combine to create a complimentary union so rare and sublime. Since meeting in 1986 when they recorded The Moon And The Melodies they have joined occasionally for albums, soundtracks and live performances. Each has forged a very independent music career and become firmly established in his own right. Mr. Budd’s 1984 album The Pearl, a collaboration with Brian Eno, remains an ambient minimalist milestone that set the scene for a whole generation of copyists. Likewise Mr. Guthrie’s guitar and production work, from his roots in Cocteau Twins, has broken entirely new ground and has had a significant impact on alternative music for over 30 years. With the twin albums After The Night Falls and Before The Day Breaks released in 2006, Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Budd received acclaim without parallel. However, Bordeaux, recorded in the hazy Summer of 2010 in a studio near Bordeaux, France, has a further degree of elegance, poise and sheer breathtaking romance, which shows these two fine gentlemen at their best.Evident, as one would expect, is a maturity, intensity and depth of character, magnificently understated, which no others in the field can even come close to matching. Its dense richness makes Bordeaux a striking work of ambient impressionism. Quite clearly, Mr. Budd and Mr. Guthrie have created one of the most atmospheric and captivating instrumental performances of our time.

Tracklisting:

1. Gaze 2. Deva C 3. The Names of Those Never Here
4. So Many Short Years Ago 5. The Belles of Saint Andrew 6. Radiant City 7. L'Aventure 8. Smiling Apart 9. Southern Shore

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