Code Sent
Reviews:
"I couldn’t help thinking of Locust when I heard the first track on this excellent ambient album. There’s something about the way the bass is set off with reverb and has a rhythmic quality that instantly reminded me of Mark Van Hoen’s work. Of course that’s no bad thing as he’s one of my favourite producers and, if you know his work, then that should give you an idea of where this is coming from. It uses classic sounds as well as a more contemporary feel to deliver some truly gorgeous and majestic tracks. Wonderful earthy textures and soaring chords combine with a lightly new-age feel to give you a coherent and flowing experience that has a real old school element (in a good way – think Rising High when they were in their prime). In some ways this could almost be a Practising Nature release as I feel it has more in common with Nostalgia or Mathias Grassow than some of the more recent Databloem releases. But honestly, either way it’s still a very satisfying listen indeed and, if you like a spot of ambient, comes highly recommended." (Smallfish - UK)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Solveil (aka Con_Sense) doesn’t want you to know who they are, because their music should speak for itself. For this reason any personal presentation is not relevant. If you search a little for yourself however, it is not difficult to figure out who they are. These guys have a huge amount of music on the market, but with this release they are trying to create a new form of music. And in my opinion they succeeded.
“Code Sent” is their second release, “Compass” on Gears of Sand being the first one. And right from the start this cd gets to you with a large portion of tension. The sounds are electronic, but the music is a combination of all kinds of styles mixed together in one long journey. Underneath the slow rhythms there are orchestral samples, choirs, bleeps, acoustic sounds, chants, sweeps of synths, trumpet and sequencers, sounding all very exciting. Most music you can compare to other artists, but in this case it turns out to be difficult. With all it’s noises and sounds flying around, you cannot call it ambient, it is rhythmical but don’t expect a techno beat, and maybe some ethnical percussions, but it does not sound ethnical at all. OK, one track, “The Secret”, could be an old Autechre track, or Speedy J in his old experimental period, but we like that don’t we? This is truly a very remarkable release and a must for every lover of exciting new electronic music.
Code Sent is a gift from the musicians to us, the listeners who wants to expand their musical view, so take this journey. A new code, a new experience, a new possibility." (Bob Rusche - Tip van Bob)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Clear meanings are nowhere to be found on "Code Sent". A work that is equally experimental and accessible the electronica artist "Con_Sense" artfully balances trippy rhythms with formal experimentation - all woven into a dense suite-like construction. This album's unique identity is forged using pulse patterns, electro-ethno rhythms and an elegant symmetry. Contrasts in mood and the occasional surprise dropout add to the electronic euphoria. Stretching and twisting sampled material gives some sections a granular sound while elsewhere shimmering effects expand over a muted synthesized thrum. "Code Sent" traverses an interesting range of sonic landscapes. From heart quickening beats to elusive harmonic states the minimalistic underpinnings of this work convert the listener into a traveler" (Star´s end - USA)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This release from 2009 offers 66 minutes of mesmerizing ambience. Gentle electronics coexist with evolving rhythmics, generating a mood of sedation tinged with cybernetic awareness. Drifting tonalities create a rarefied foundation that is then embellished by more strident (yet still subtle) electronics. Pulsations resound in this haze, lending the illusion of peaceful machinery hiding in the mist. Ilbient sounds wander through the mix, providing a shimmering substrata of definition to the vaporous basis of the tunes. Here, though, the glitchy nature of most ilbience is subdued, manifesting more as a moderate cybernetic impression whose presence actually contributes to the flow rather than providing any jarring aspects. While percussive elements are employed, the beats are initially muffled and intermittent. As the tracks progress, however, the slushy tempos become more prominent, less languid. They gradually assert themselves as the dominant element, and soon the music has blossomed into light melodies enlivened by entrancing rhythmics. In the album’s last phase, the rhythmics recede, allowing the electronics to shift from an ephemeral stance into dreamier melodics of quite satisfying substance. The music on this release evolves through stages, becoming increasingly engaging with each mutation. At first, the tracks are sparse and feature soft hints of ilbience and e-perc. Then the percussion slowly swamps things, transforming the tunes into congenially rhythmic gems. Finally, the electronics escalate from their textural definition into a more substantial role, and the auralscapes slide into pleasant contemporary electronic tuneage. (Matt Howarth - Sonic Curiosity)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Code Sent" is the second full-length release by Solveil (Con_Sense), of which no further background information is offered (as the music should suffice to speak for itself). The musical content of "Code Sent" offers 10 tracks of so called intelligent new electronics, a peculiar mix of various styles with strong organic undercurrents. But as a whole, the adventurous music captured on "Code Sent" is quite hard to compare to something else. Influences are apparent in the well mastered cinematic ambient with distinct edgy and surreal realms. All in all, most of the 65 minutes of music stands in its own right with tribal/atmospheric flavours as well as some Berliner School elements, of which I especially like "Minus 2009" and "Gravitate" (Bert Strolenberg).