Gramercy from Institutio Amet by Derek Rogers

Last year, I picked up the 4-way split from Deep Tapes. It was my first Derek Rogers' tape and the first of many. Those tracks symbolized the sounds of summer. I remember getting ripped under the sun, watering the flowers and being captivated by his tracks. When I look through all the tapes, records and cds that line the shelves, it's difficult to find an artist who, upon sitting for a listen, provides me with a special, unique feeling. There are only a few artists that can evoke such a response: Derek Rogers; Emuul; Fennesz; the High Llamas and Steely Dan to name a few. There is a certain comfort which is emitted in his music; it feels extremely personal. Upon receiving this in the mail, I marveled at the beauty of the artwork; it reminds me of the picturesque scenery along I-5, driving north from Eugene.

Institutio Amet presents five tracks of distorted guitar and synth beauty - ambient bliss with a large exponent. I really like it when Derek travels in these soft, permeable zones. The music has a quality that makes it effortlessly float through the room, endowing the environment with sunlight. The opener "Sunset" fades in with Derek's dreamy distorted guitar. The synth tracks are gorgeous. Some have an ethereal quality while others, such as the last track on side A, are a little darker. The flipside is particularly beautiful - an entire track of wonderful synth. Derek's work on the flipside is masterful. Amplified waves of sound swirl through the air, sounding much like an organ. Halfway through the track, distortion is added - the organ like sounds barely audible under the hiss. Once the distortion fades, a gentle, warm paean softly negotiates its way through the space. In closing, Institutio Amet pulls all the right switches in your brain. This tape is a constant in my life - morning, afternoon and evening.

http://honestbag.blogspot.com/2012/03/derek-rogers-institutio-amet-ss03.html

Derek Rogers (b. 4 September 1980) is a musician active in electronic composition, drone, free-improv, ambient, and noise textures. He utilizes computer processes as well as traditional instrumentation and field recordings to create emotionally resonant work, tending toward long forms and soundscapes.

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