You’re probably wondering, ‘another øjeRum review?’ Well, we happened to have a bunch of his releases in our stack, so we couldn’t help but spilling a little more ink about this ultra-prolific Dane. This one is a cassette reissue from our friends over at Aural Canyon of an LP that originally came out on the German label Midira Records. It must be said that both editions are worth owning just for the artwork alone, although the vinyl is long sold out at source. Each edition is graced with its own handsome collage created by Paw Grabowski himself.
The vinyl version of Selv I Drømme Lyser Den Første Sne (English translation: even in dreams the first snow glows) pairs classic øjeRum ambient bliss with an interpretation on cello by Aaron Martin on the flip. The cassette changes things up a bit. The original piece remains, but the B Side contains a ‘dual version’, in which Martin’s cello and Grabowski’s loop-based ambient shimmer are played together. The result is unbelievably breathtaking.
Fans of øjeRum’s oeuvre will be pleased by the eponymous 20-minute long monolith of minimalism – with its craftily-arranged loops and richly-hued sonic textures. When floating alongside the cello’s wavelike sheen, the drones seem to flourish, to grow deeper and more complex. This music is evocative enough to bring tears to your eyes, but its origins are not in melancholy. These emotions are rooted in an indescribable beauty, an experience that must be undertaken to completely understand the sheer immensity.
Aural Canyon still has a handful of copies of this captivating release as of this writing, so let the winter winds whisk you off toward their Bandcamp and enjoy…