Ambient Distress by Tristan Welch

Tristan Welch - Ambient Distress (Somewherecold Records)

"I usually try to avoid using the word "ambient" on this page, I feel like that term makes it seem like the music is mood wallpaper, and that's never what I like about it. And even though ambient is right there in the title, I'd still argue that this one warrants an engaged listening experience. I got an early preview copy of this one, and although I haven't had it for very long, I think it's doing something very intriguing. The title may make it sound like a "dark" ambient work, but the primary musical qualities of this all seem quite nice, I don't think it's the sort of thing that would get described as ominous. I see the title as attributing a quality of ambience to stress, as something that is a constant presence even through ostensibly happy moments. I don't know exactly what to attribute it to in the music, but it's like there's little hints of anxiety that continually pop up. When music gets described as unsettling, it always seems to be something overt, but this seems like it is working much more subtly to accomplish that goal. I still have a lot of uncertainty around what is happening here, but it really does feel like it speaks to a specific relatable experience that I don't see enough of in music."

~ http://endaural.com

Tristan Welch is a musician & artist based in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. His focus is creating soundscapes via electric guitar, treated with electronics. A self-professed fascination with minimalism and repetition is evident in his work- a hypnotic layering of melodics that evolve and dissipate while maintaining a steady tone center.