Search - Vidna Obmana :: Tremor

A Bold Step Forward - A Terrifying Journey

Victor Leclerc | Lewiston, Maine USA | 11/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As has been the case in the past, Dirk Serrie (aka vidnaObmana) uses his own distinctive palate of sound, incorporates elements from his extensive and gregarious collaborations with other cutting edge instrumental ambient composers and performers, and creates a work of surprising freshness and depth. This time around, Dirk has chosen as inspiration the mental images from Dante's Inferno, shift-shaped them to conform to his auditory visions, and surprised everyone with a typically unstructured yet viscerally raw 73+ minutes of dark grandeur.Instead of the icy, quiet cinematic calm that pervades most other vidnaObmana CDs, Tremor is a walk through levels of the underworld. The tribal drums sound more primitive, the washes are noisier and sometimes even appear to be created from heavily affected guitars (an illustration of Dirk's ever growing repertoire of sound), and the mesmerising calm is frequently shattered by a creeping malevolent sound undistinguishable but reminiscent of an unseen force breathing down the back of one's neck. The ear-walk that Obmana takes us on is a journey in which the path is deceptively smooth but the shimmering walls are rough, and the sulfuric heat one feels on the face warns of impending doom while the occasional airy flute passage welcomes us to take yet another step forward.Being a fan of Dirk's work for the past 12 years, I am amazed by this CD on the merits that he is breaking new ground for both himself and other quiet ambient composers. Often slightly reminiscent of works by Eno and Fripp both together and solo, Tremor utilizes a spectrum that always remains musical even in its lack of structure, key and melody. It also demonstrates an underlying rage that has not been heard from Dirk before. As usual, the pieces seldom break and are best listened to as a unified work inclusive and inseparable. For fans, be prepared to be a bit less relaxed with this one; for new listeners, be prepared to take an aural and emotional journey unlike any other you are likely to encounter. Bravo to an artist whose work in an often misunderstood medium continues to grow, change, mature, and tear down boundaries between contemporaries."

TECTONIC SURFING INTO THE UNDERWORLD...

Larry L. Looney | Austin, Texas USA | 02/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...and Belgian soundmeister vidnaObmana takes us on a terrifying but beautiful aurdio journey. This is definitely a departure from other works I've heard by this artist -- but, like another reviewer below, I think it's a bold step forward, and not as unstructured as a casual listening might indicate.The percussive elements found her -- very tribal and ritualistic -- drive this music home with a stronger force than found in his earlier works, and it suits his chosen subject matter, his inspirational starting point, Dante's INFERNO, perfectly. This is very dark music, but extremely listenable -- not only was I NOT tempted to skip any tracks, I found myself compelled to listen to the entire cd a second time the day I bought it -- at over 73 minutes, there's a lot of material here to digest. A stunning, visceral achievement -- and, I think, a landmark recording in this genre -- I can't wait to see where he goes from here."