Benbecula Records
Scotland, est. 1999
Electronica, ambient, electro, folk, post-rock ... blah
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Reverbaphon "Our Heart Beats with Joy (The Curved World Outside)" 2004, Benbecula Records (ben026cd) Tracklisting 01 Kartoffeln 02 Parameters of Love 03 Asthetik der Funktion 04 Hydrocow 05 The Hermit Returns (Again) 06 Christa's Accordian 07 Cut and Dry Song 08 Insect Interlude 09 Our Heart Beats with Joy 10 The curved world Outside Reviews "Concise, beautifully arranged songs, each successive track a small surprise as Smith incorporates folk, jazz and electronic elements into spacious melodies with varying textures. It's modernist folk, protean but with its own unique character, playfully eclectic but with a consistency of focus that lends it the overall weight it thoroughly deserves" The Wire ”Chock full of enticing flavours to wrap the tongue around. Ingrained in eerily atmospheric arrangements with a huge aching soul throbbing at the centre of it all, Reverbaphon's first full length not only flatters with exquisite electronic instrumentals but also with peculiar - and certainly surprising - Celtic influenced folk flecked strums … enticing, absolutely” Comes with a Smile “Insular and intriguing … Reverbaphon proves himself to be a gratifyingly off-kilter, unsettling presence” Plan B "A beautifully crafted and seemingly nostalgic passage through many emotions and different ages reveals the true scope of imagination and technical skills ... Reverbaphon has caressed his variously bastardised instruments til he understood the perfect moods for extracting the most delicate and emotional sounds ... a unique and proudly Scottish hybrid of genres." Clash Magazine "Wonderful compositions of acoustic / electrics. A great addition to any "folktronica" collection ... a lovely mix of sweet and dark melodies with some subtle vocals in places." Smallfish |
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"... a mercurial music that eludes
pigeonholing, a quality that's finally a key part of its charm. His
unique hybrid of electronic and natural sounds marries contemporary song
craft with folk stylings ... what ultimately holds it together is his
meticulous and painstaking approach to each song and the rich expansiveness
of the arrangements." Ron Schepper "A super rich, terraforming slice of music ... another solid release from Reverbaphon" Tesselate "Reverbaphon's music, being as eclectic as the instruments it is played on, is pleasantly hard to categorise ... listening closely reveals a genuine compositional aptitude that should dispel any suggestions that Reverbaphon is lightweight or throwaway" Freq "When I hear yet another electronic release drawing upon folk music as its inspiration my ears get very weary - but one of the most interesting things about this release, which makes it stand out above the rest, is the range of instruments present ... An atypical take on electronica and distinctly lovely to listen to." Cyclic Defrost "Ultimately the well-done emotional aspect of Reverbaphon’s Our Heart Beats with Joy pushes it into the realm of this year’s best records ... Take a trip to Scotland for this Benbecula gem" Modsqaure "Most tracks deal beautifully with a sparse arrangement complemented by intense layering at points. Many show a quiet exuberance, with layered instruments that flourish with a strange grace and subtlety ... Reverbaphon shows a penchant for composition and a boldness in style and realization that is very easily grasped. Lost At Sea "Through 10 compositions Paul Smith offers an insight in what is possible with this setup and I must admit that the sound collages that originate from this are more than succeeded. Don't expect songs as such, it is more a search of what is possible though not drowning it into experiments, a structure still is present and that makes it also very listenable." Side Line "... a beautiful mixture of organic and electronic sounds, somewhere between refreshing folk and experimental, electro-acoustic works... Truly eclectic music!" Oscillator ”A high tech fabric of folk and Celtic: 4 out of 5” Kindamuzik ”Reverbaphon makes shades of subtle music that lets us glimpse the creative mind of the artist” Loop "A record to play when your heart is broken and wind is blowing softly around. She left and then you play Ästhetik Der Funktion - it heals all wounds for just one day." Gonzo Circus "The combination of the soothing tones of Our Heart Beats that creates an atmosphere approaching the power of Radiohead's Kid A and my lack of sleep that morning quickly made me space out. I sat in that richly textured fog for several minutes, not exactly sleeping but not quite awake, until the smoke cleared and I found myself listening to the mastermind behind Reverbaphon, top Dundee boy Paul Smith enticing me to "just close [my] eyes… just fall asleep" over and over on the scattered soundscape prairie of "Asthetik Der Funktion." ... A mish-mash of styles and genres both electronic and organic, Our Heart Beats With Joy is a truly unique experience." Tiny Mix Tapes |
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"Reverbaphon’s music is unique and staunchly abstract, not what you could
describe as easy listening. Some tracks take a few listens to lodge in the
subconscious, sometimes changing your initial impressions ... While it’s
impossible to deny the talent that is at work here, Our Heart Beats With Joy
is not an airport read, and ultimately is a challenging album you’ll either
love or hate." MusicOMH ”Beautiful but impossible to label … lets us taste the sweetness that comes with the treasures Benbecula brings to us from Scotland” FDS Magazine "electronic construction, rhythm or melody with implemented guitar structures. there are also some pure folk moments, vocals and singing, peaceful atmosphere … that gives an impression of a neo country sound. pure desert sound, very calm, relaxed and nice" Fakezine "Cusions of rhythmical work constructed from fragile fragments ... integrity is evident as it passes nicely away leaving a melancholy feeling ... ideal for autumnal afternoons" Gaz-eta "Beyond doubt ... impossible to categorise" Electronic Desert Airplay BBC Radio 1 "Blue Room" - UK BBC Radio 1 "Breezeblock" - UK BBC Radio 1 "Vic Galloway" 01 02 BBC Radio 3 "Mixing It" - UK BBC Scotland "Air" - UK Resonance FM "Kosmische" - London Radio Magnetic A-Listed (UK) Radio 101 - Zagreb Post Global - Macedonia Radio FSK "Sunday Service" - Germany Radio 101 "Oscillator" - Sarajevo |
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