The Magnificent Void
| The Magnificent Void | ||||
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| Studio album by Steve Roach | ||||
| Released | February 13, 1996 (U.S.) February 22, 1996 (world) |
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| Recorded | at The Timeroom in Tucson, Arizona | |||
| Genre | Ambient, dark ambient,[1] space[2] | |||
| Length | 69:35 | |||
| Label | Hearts of Space/Fathom | |||
| Producer | Steve Roach | |||
| Steve Roach chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
| Muze | (positive)[4] |
| Tucson Citizen | (favorable)[5] |
| Piero Scaruffi | (8/10)[6] |
| Wired | (positive)[7] |
The Magnificent Void (1996) is an album by the U.S. ambient musician Steve Roach.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The backcover of The Magnificent Void quotes from transpersonal psychologist Stanislav Grof's 1992 book The Holotropic Mind: "One of the most enigmatic of all transpersonal phenomena is the experience of the Void [...] This absolute emptiness is simultaneously pregnant with all of existence since it contains everything in a potential form."[8]
The music on this album is dark, expansive, pure electronic textures, ending in an intense chord progression titled "Altus" (a Latin word meaning both "high" and "deep"[9]). Genre-wise, the album says "File under Ambient, Electronic"[8] and is tagged as "Electronic Space" by its record label,[2] but is also classified as dark ambient[1] by reviewers. The Steve Roach website files it in its custom category "Atmospheric Space",[10] but adds that "it has more in common with 20th century avant-garde than other genres."[9]
The Magnificent Void is one of many productions that Steve Roach has no memory of creating, because so many elements of each track were worked on over a period of years.[11]
[edit] Track listing
- "Between the Gray and the Purple" – 7:42
- "Void Memory One" – 2:53
- "Infinite Shore" – 7:47
- "Cloud of Unknowing" – 10:38
- "Void Memory Two" – 3:40
- "Void Memory Three" – 3:41
- "The Magnificent Void" – 13:13
- "Altus" – 20:01
All compositions by Steve Roach.[8]
[edit] Personnel
- Musical[8]
- Steve Roach – performer (uncredited instruments)
- Linda Kohanov (Roach's wife) – voice (track 4)
- Cantrell Maryott – voice (track 4)
- Technical[8]
- Production: Steve Roach
- Mixing ("digital assembly"): Roger King, Steve Roach
- Mastering: Bob Olhsson, Stephen Hill
- Graphical[8]
- Design: Stephen Hill, Jeff Taylor
- Artist photo: Robin Stancliff
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Roach's dark ambient explorations come as a curious and vibrant wind" (Tucson Citizen review); "[Some] might label this venture 'dark ambient' [...]" (Muze review)
- ^ a b "Electronic Space" (Hearts of Space album page)
- ^ Allmusic ( review
- ^ Muze review
- ^ Tucson Citizen review
- ^ Piero Scaruffi review
- ^ Wired review
- ^ a b c d e f See: Roach, "The Magnificent Void".
- ^ a b The Magnificent Void (SteveRoach.com)
- ^ "Atmospheric Space — Soundworlds created for altering the perception of time and heightened sense of space." (SteveRoach.com)
- ^ Ambient Visions interview with Steve Roach
[edit] Sources
- Roach, Steve (1996). "CD liner notes" in The Magnificent Void, San Francisco: Fathom Records (sublabel of Hearts of Space Records), February 13, 1996, SKU HS11062-2, EAN 0025041106221 (UPC 025041106221)
[edit] External links
- The Magnificent Void at SteveRoach.com
- The Magnificent Void at Hearts of Space (note a typo crediting Kevin Braheny)
- The Magnificent Void at Discogs
