artist: Grains Of Sound country of origin: USA style(s): Ambient techno/trance, psy-ambient , spacemusic essential releases: Rays Of Life volumes 1 & 2 (2007, Alterculture) Sine Language volumes 1, 2, 3 (2009, Alterculture)

Brothers Chris and Jason Sevanick are one of those fascinating acts whose main repertoire is hard techno or dark industrial electronic beats, yet who have also come up with subtle, intelligent and harmonious ambient that stands well out from the pack. Speedy J and Aphex Twin are two examples. Grains Of Sound is another joyful discovery.

Since 1996 the duo have been better known in underground circles in North America and Europe as Mindless Faith, producing pounding electro-industrial-rock of frightening intensity. In 2007, they debuted their Grains Of Sound side project and have proved a dab hand at composing strains of ambient techno and trance.

Although words like psychedelic are used in the release notes for Rays Of Life, this debut double album isn't based on the dubby, bottom-heavy and Mid-Eastern sounds usually associated with psy-chill. Technologically the duo's production sounds bang up date but stylistically there are strong echoes of classic 90's ambient dance as embodied by labels like Silent Records and Rising High's Chill Out Or Die series. Which makes it all rather timeless. The music is mysterious and beautiful without even trying and the duo builds their harmonies with skill and restraint. Volume 1 is more beat orientated than Volume 2. Both are exquisitely spacey.

Sine Language is a triple album and maintains - even improves on - the standards of its predecessor. Each volume is closely related by remixes and reworkings of certain tracks that are repeated on one or both of the others. The first is uptempo, the second is downtempo beats and the third is beatless. Volume 1 is club music really, but the duo's inspired examples of ambient's dancefloor cousins - psytrance, progressive house and tech-trace - make it great listening. Sine Language's ambient and downtempo tracks are strikingly mature, with more depth of texture and more detailed sound design than a lot of other music of its ilk. From a pure ambient perspective "Low Earth Orbit" is the most ravishing track here: so simple, sad and awe-inspiring. You won't hear a better piece of spacemusic, in this galaxy or any other.

HOME