We’ve documented the heartfelt ambient excursions of Will Long before, but as the skies seemed to have permanently greyed over in NYC and we spend more time on the road or indoors with our music, now seemed an appropriate time to revisit his work. Perfectly Beneath Us, a forthcoming release on Russian imprint Still*Sleep, was recorded in Celer’s current hometown of Tokyo earlier this summer. For those of you unacquainted with the subtle, patient nature of Long’s productions, this release should provide an ideal entry point.
“Slightly Apart, Almost Touching” interweaves layers of tones to evoke alternating sentiments of melancholy and wonder, often at the same time. It’s layers unfold like not unlike the rolling farm fields that are depicted on the cover of the release…the transcendental quality of the song feels like it could go on for days, and pause time in the process.
Two shorter tunes with rising low-end levels connect the slowly gusting melodies of ”Slightly Apart, Almost Touching” to the release’s end-piece, ”Absolute Receptivity of All the Senses”. There’s a noticeable shift between the start and end of the EP, the air pressure seems to have lessened and a feeling of resigned comfort have replaced the blissfully wavering stasis of the opener.