artist: David Bridie & John Philips country of origin: Australia style(s): Soundtrack, ambient, world beat, folk, expirimental essential releases: Projects 1983-1993 (1994, White/Mushroom)

Bridie and Philips were the creative nucleus of the now defunct pop/ambient/world music combo Not Drowning Waving, one of Australia's the most innovative and underrated bands. Today they remain two of Australia's most gifted soundtrack composers. The 22 cuts on the superb Projects 1983-1993 are from various projects the pair worked on for film, television and theatre productions up until 1993. It’s a testament to their talents that such a disparate collection of music manages to hold together so well, aided by some excellent sleeve notes. Tracks such as the solo piano piece “Slow Grandpa’s Tune” and the cello-whirly-guitar combination of “Body Work” would fit comfortably enough on a Not Drowning Waving album, but generally Projects paints its sonic pictures on a broader canvas. Sampled voices are used to striking effect, notably on the chilling “Hibakusha” in which an American voice translates a the story of a Japanese man whose sister died in the bombing of Hiroshima. This is a rich, intelligent and thoroughly engaging CD.

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