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Alucidnation - Induction Reviewed
My first experience of Alucidnation was on that epochal night in Naxos when The Big Chill’s first Mediterranean holiday came to an end. I’ve told the story a number of times already, however, so it’s difficult to convey afresh just what a striking moment that was without sounding uncomfortably parochial or nostalgic.Yet it’s impossible for me to listen to Bruce’s music without falling deep into the waters of memory. I have only to stick on one of his CDs and I’m immediately off into reverie - of long sunsets, late night conversations, festival moments, that kind of thing. To be more specific: of the massive storm of ‘Summer 97’; of playing out ‘Blue Horizon’ at The Enchanted Garden and Lulworth Castle; of hearing ‘LBJ Beauty’ for the first time late in the early hours after playing some records together at the Dogstar; of innumerable pellucid days and fuzzy nights in Naxos. And the rest.
Suffice to say it’s Big Chill almost all the way. No other artist, to my mind, so fully encapsulates the spirit of chilling that was originally incubated deep in the Dorset countryside: the easy movement between ambient textures and warm, dubby beats; that comforting sense of having all the time in the world to look and listen and learn; the sly sense of humour; and, of course, the slow immersion in gorgeous visual stimulation that complements all of these and helps cement them into memory.
Yet you don’t need to be a convert to enjoy this album. It’s a brilliantly sequenced - and named - introduction to the world of Alucidnation that deserves to travel far beyond the confines of The Big Chill. There are gentle, folky songs (‘The Art of Conversation’, ‘Messing About’)… big tunes (‘I’m Not Bad’, ‘Beautiful House’)… slabs of dubby deep space electronica (‘The Secret Title’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Metal Bark’, ‘Deep Rez’)… all softened together with moments of pure ambience (‘A Quick Sketch’, ‘Suspended on Air’). A complete and well-rounded album, in other words.
In part this is due to Bruce’s particular skill as a sequencer and DJ. He’s always had a rare knack for mixing different styles and tempos into what’s experienced as a seamless mix, and having heard an earlier version of this album, I can testify to how well it’s finally come together. ‘Induction’ strikes the ear as a fully coherent, considered piece of work, and at 56 minutes long is perfectly formed.
For me it feels like a summation of an entire period, something that’s underscored by the beautiful photos this album’s wrapped in, along with the meticulously logged recording dates. Looking over these, you realise this is an album that’s been a long, long time coming, and so much the better for it. There’s nothing modish about this music; on the contrary, it has a musicality and spirit that is best described as timeless.
Indeed, although I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard many of these tunes - having long enjoyed some classic Alucidnation compilations - somehow they retain an essential freshness and innocence that doesn’t seem to date. The music is surely a mark of the man; for the vision encapsulated here is pure, unaffected and generous in spirit.
And so, in typically understated Bruce mode, ‘Induction’ appears to have arrived without any great fuss or ceremony, quietly going about its business with precious little regard for what others think. But don’t be fooled: by anyone’s standards, this is a benchmark album. My hunch is that it’ll long outlast the more ephemeral material that currently burns more brightly around us. So now do your bit and help spread the word…
Freddie B.
Photo taken by Centre Edge @ Lulworth Castle
Thanks for the memories:
Naxos diary 2002
A night out with Bruce B
Buy Alucidnation's Induction (Big Chill Recordings) here
Alucidnation's website is here
Written: 29th Oct, 04
Read: 2973 times
