Phil Derby / Electroambient Space
Max Corbacho’s music is getting increasingly ambient with each new release. If he gets any more relaxed than Ars Lucis, by the time his next album comes out I will only make it through the first two minutes before I drift off into blissful slumber. Corbacho truly is “in the zone” lately, the pure float zone. This is formless, non-melodic music that nonetheless has depth and warmth in abundance. Variances between tracks are subtle yet distinct. For example, “Narthex” has a particularly bright, shimmering tone to it, whereas “Light-Matrix Portal” has a richer, more expansive sound. Still, the basic principle is the same throughout – take a few delicate layers of sound, blend them subtly and smoothly together, and maintain the mood for several minutes with gradual changes. Corbacho does an excellent job of blending lighter and darker elements together, such that the end result should please both dark ambient and new age listeners, although it may not be “pretty” enough for the latter. For true ambient fans, this is as good as it gets.
© 2010 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space