Max Corbacho «Nocturnes II» CD

The beauty of magnificently immersing nocturnal landscapes of Aragón region in northeastern Spain is resurrected once more! Max Corbacho, the Spanish driftscaper par excellence has released the second chapter of «Nocturnes» series during April 2018 through his Silentsun imprint. «Nocturnes II» CD is packaged in an attractive glossy 4-panel digipak, featuring original cover photographs by Max Corbacho with additional layout work by Michael Rodriguez Pletz.

The opening «Celistia» track clocks over 23-minute mark and immediately takes the listener into awe-inspiring vastness, where undisputable, timelessly gliding and ebbing insignias of its sole purveyor meticulously coalesce with balmily glimmering nightly quietudes and inconspicuously permeating faunal symphonies. A journey through grandiosely barren horizons is fully unfolded, Max Corbacho again unlocks the gates to soulfully fascinating terra incognitas. Indeed, an epic listening experience awaits here! Shorter «Nocturnal Bloom» clandestinely soars into even more expansive grandness, a gracefully colossal realms owned by this Spaniard. It’s a pity not even a 4 minutes long ambrosial exploration is gone too fast. But no worries, almost 9-minute «Starlight Grace», as indicated by its title, steals the splendor with all its panoptically prodigious monumentality, free-floating spatial solitariness is exquisitely juxtaposed with surges of titillatingly mindscaping reverberations. Tenaciously monstrous, pure magic!!! «Heart Of The Night» is another rather ephemeral odyssey, yet intensely engrossing, where all hues of organic tapestries persistently amalgamate with voluminously undulating magmatic stratums. «Indigo Sphinxes In Dark Canyon», at 3:10 the shortest venture on the album, tightly keeps breathtaking tension of its predecessor, but an array of ear-bending piquant meridians steals the whole spectacle. I keep on delving deeply into staggeringly perplexing chasmal domains… «Timelapse» returns to relatively calmer terrains, but sonic metamorphosis seems to be unstoppable and surreptitiously nuanced scenario moves into a profoundly delightful monolithic vertex. Then through peaceful diminuendoing closing this spellbindingly transcendental circle. Big applaud, Maestro!!! 20-plus minutes long «Moon Apparition» delicately reveals the genius loci of these arid sceneries, where gracefully meandering panoramas of dronescapes precisely harmonize with genuinely shimmering nocturnal field recordings and transitorily trenchant climaxes. Tranquilly enveloping conclusion!

No matter if entering enthrallingly overwhelming skylines, nebulously extraterrestrial spheres, mysteriously labyrinthine inner zones, spectacularly subaqueous depths or majestically monumental architectural masterpieces, Max Corbacho always delivers the very best of his virtuosic soundcarving, a rewardingly abundant momentum of tremendously sophisticated wizardry in sculpting powerfully transporting opuses. With gem like 70-minute «Nocturnes II», but also with «Source Of Present», «Nocturnes» and most especially with recently released «Horizon Matrix» (out since November 30th, 2018), Max Corbacho is triumphantly chasing quintessential milestones such as «Ars Lucis» and «The Ocean Inside». Once again, bravo, Maestro!!!
Richard Gürtler (Jan 13, 2019, Bratislava, Slovakia)

Only a few days ago, we described Dennis Huddleston as the «very model of consistency» for the regularity and consistently high quality of his 36 output. Much the same could be said of Max Corbacho, who’s been crafting ambient-electronic soundscapes since 1998. This second chapter in his projected Nocturnes trilogy certainly lives up to its title, its seventy minutes evocative of the unsettling stillness that sets in during the deepest hours of the night. Working with sequencers, synthesizers, samplers, and looping devices, the Barcelona-based producer spent three years bringing Nocturnes II to completion.

In the opening «Celistia,» one of two epics pushing past the twenty-minute mark, Corbacho couples drifting synthesizer washes with the quiet chirp of crickets to leave no doubt as to the time of day in question. Suggesting winds blowing across open fields, slow-motion whooshes accompany those washes to reinforce the image of a barren landscape, while the soft murmur of other creatures embroiders the crickets’ song with additional layers.

As much as the seven parts constitute an integrated whole, there are noticeable differences between them. «Starlight Grace» replicates the glacial unfurl of «Celistia,» though in this case the focus shifts from terra firma to the heavens, the move intimated by a greater emphasis on radiant textures that sparkle and shimmer in equal measure. «Heart of the Night» by comparison exudes the unsettling quality of a nightmare, if one more subtly disturbing than outright harrowing, while the second long-form soundscape, «Moon Apparition,» caps the release with one final deep space music plunge, even if the crickets’ return suggests the experience is originating from an earthly vantage point.

As he’s done on previous releases, Corbacho demonstrates here an undeniable talent for crafting expansive, luminous soundscapes. His music unfolds with patient deliberation, and the control he exercises in weaving his elements together is never less than impressive. Movements seem to generally slow down during the night hours, a phenomenon effectively conveyed by the recording’s serene, mystery-laden meditations.
June 2018

Max Corbacho ~ Nocturnes II (Silentsun, 2018)

Conocí a Max Corbacho con su disco The Ocean Inside. Por entonces quedé impresionado por la profundidad y la belleza de sus composiciones, y por la maestría artesanal que revelaba el resultado final de su trabajo. Lo más importante es que los paisajes sonoros de ese viaje imaginal a las profundidades del océano interior fueron envolviéndome y empapándome cada vez más a través del tiempo, convirtiéndose para mí en una obra esencial del ambient actual, y su autor, en una figura referencial y fuente de inspiración. Por lo cual he seguido cada uno de sus discos subsiguientes con mucho interés y anticipación. Desde entonces y antes de este Nocturnes II, ha habido cinco, y todos se han mantenido fieles a ese lenguaje tan personal de Max, tan lírico y contemplativo, así como a su excelencia como artífice de paisajes sonoros.

Pero lo que vuelvo a encontrar en esta segunda entrega de la serie Nocturnes es esa emoción especial, ese brillo o esa conexión que viví con The Ocean Inside. Este es un gran disco que vuelve a confirmar a Max como uno de los grandes de la escena del ambient mundial. Soy consciente de que serán necesarias muchas escuchas para ir penetrando en sus abismos, pero ya puedo intuir ese algo especial que me hace volver a él una y otra vez. Esta música es increíblemente relajante. Tal vez es eso, que aquí reencuentro al Max Corbacho más atmosférico y expansivo, ese que me subyugó con una pieza tan alucinante como «Towards the Bottomless Sea». Esto lo noto especialmente en los tracks primero y último, «Celistia» y «Moon Apparition», que son los más extensos, pero el tono se mantiene a lo largo de todo el disco. Es como disolverse en el espacio, como contemplar la anchura del cielo estrellado, de horizonte a horizonte, y perderse en la abierta infinitud de su bóveda. O como flotar en un no-lugar, sin límites, iluminado por la suave luz de la luna, o de una luminaria interior. Porque su música siempre me habla del mundo de dentro, del espacio interior. Y la noche que explora en sus Nocturnes es tal vez esa noche del alma, una que sólo ella percibe, acaso ante la belleza de la noche exterior, tan poblada en este disco de sonidos grabados de su natural y viva expresión. La magia es adentrarse en ese mundo en la soledad de tu escucha. Esa apertura que ofrece la música es un regalo, siempre de agradecer. La música es un portal a otros mundos, o esa es la música que a mí más me toca y me transporta. Gracias a ella y a su autor por tan gratas experiencias.

Review by http://dreamfolk.blogspot.com.es/2018/05/max-corbacho-nocturnes-ii.html

The strong 20-minute «Celistia» kicking off the 70-minute album already propels the listener into mesmerizing higher spheres along a trail of nocturnal environmental sounds where the veil of night shimmers through beautifully. It’s an ambient expanse full of meditative, powerful, graceful, serene, and luminous splendor evolving slowly but surely before the mind’s eye even when some of the tracks next in line prove much shorter.

As Max wrote in his press notes he treated this recording as a mysterious and serene world that slowly awakens to unfold a previously hidden magic and that’s stirring the subliminal «Heart of the Night» and «Indigo Sphinxes…» most clearly. «Timelapse» picks up the uplift drift again with textures morphing into infinite depths where after the 20-minute «Moon Apparition» brings along an intense immersive closing to this slow breathing ambient space with imminent organic currents.
«Nocturnes II» is a very well accomplished achievement.

Welcome to another journey into the silky darkness of the night with Max Corbacho as he unleashes Nocturnes II for his fans to devour and enjoy. Nocturnes II was released on April 20, 2018 and from the first notes of Celistia which clocks in at a hefty 23:13 the listener knows that this is going to be a special journey that will leave them wishing for more when it finally comes to a close after the last track called Moon Apparition closes out the album. Nocturnes II to me encapsulates the slow breathing and mystical aspects of those darkest hours of the night when all is quiet in the world and the only thing that breaks that silence are the sounds of crickets, birds or animal calls as they wander the landscape when humans have retreated to the warmth of their beds until daylight once again returns the world to them.

With Nocturnes II Max has created a soundscape that is shadow-encased but in a way that is inviting and urges us to step into the shadows ourselves not in a fearful way but in an intimate way by embracing the darkness that surrounds us at night. Max has outdone himself with Nocturnes II and has given us a masterpiece of music and sounds that will be played over and over again in the coming months. The lush quality of this music and the ethereal mindset that it puts the listener into are perfect for creating a relaxing atmosphere that is filled with deep, dark passages that are appropriate for some serious introspection and contemplation. According to the liner notes Max has woven into the fabric of this music crickets and other night sounds that he recorded live for inclusion in this project. Max has used these sounds in a subtle way to accent the music and to help create the deeper reality that one finds when sitting in the night and listening to the natural sounds that are only hints of what lies beyond our vision within the darkness that envelops us at night.

Nocturnes II shows us that Max Corbacho is adept at crafting long ambient pieces that he expertly weaves into a cohesive work that carries the narrative forward from song to song. With variations and nuances Max is always able to move the listener forward deeper into a state of tranquility, deeper into the velvety darkness that is where the music on this album originated from. Max’s instincts in regards to the choice of music and the production and mixing of this album are impeccable. He shows us that he is an artist who knows his abilities and is more than capable of using his talents to craft a wonderful album like Nocturnes II. This album has 7 tracks and runs close to 70 minutes in length which is more than enough time to immerse yourself into the night that Max has presented to you on this album.

If you were thinking about giving Max’s music a try then I would recommend that this album is a good place to start. The recording quality for this project was top notch and was a sonic delight to listen to. Nocturnes II is an enchanting work of art and a captivating narrative filled with shadowy and slow moving images created by Max’s expert usage of sequencing, synthesizers, samplers, looping devices and atmospheres. This album will give you a new appreciation for what these electronic devices can deliver when put into the hands of a skillful artist like Max Corbacho. Do yourself a favor and go get your own copy of this latest release by Max. Highly recommended by Ambient Visions.

Reviewed by Michael Foster for Ambient Visions

Dear friends,

NOCTURNES II is available now in my Bandcamp store, both on CD and digital download. You can also find it on CDBaby, Amazon and other digital stores, as well as streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, etc. The second chapter of this trilogy comes just a year after the first part, thanks to all for the excellent reception!!. I have worked intensely in the creation of these seven sound spaces during the last five years, being Celistia, the first piece of this album, one of the three pieces that were completed first. I have treated this album as a mysterious and serene world that slowly awakens to unfold a previously hidden magic. During the process of creation, I have continuously immersed myself in the silent meditation and isolation of the night in the middle of nature to check and verify the effect by myself each time I completed a piece or performed a change. This is how this series was conceived. Get now your copy here: https://maxcorbacho.bandcamp.com/album/nocturnes-ii

Tumbado en una hamaca al fresco, como hacemos los andaluces en vacaciones cuando llegan las tórridas noches de verano, pensaba cómo iba a describir este álbum mientras observaba el firmamento. Pasaba algún coche por la calle, supongo que ladraba un perro, imagino que alguna vecina tenía la televisión alta. Y aun así, en el mundo relativamente rural, pueden verse las estrellas aunque haya demasiada luz, siempre que el cielo esté despejado.

Publicado el pasado mes de mayo, Nocturnes es el nuevo álbum de Max Corbacho. También comentamos por aquí hace años su estupendo The Ocean Inside (2012), y haciendo una comparación entre los conceptos de ambos álbumes, está claro que a Corbacho le gusta moverse entre inmensidades, sea la del mar, sea la del firmamento. Y digo bien, el firmamento, porque yo no diría que el músico extremeño haya intentado realizar un viaje musical por el espacio exterior, sino que más bien se recrea en las estremecedoras sensaciones que se tienen al contemplar la noche. La noche astronómica y también la cotidiana, la que experimenta cada persona. En realidad, es todo el mundo a nuestro alrededor el que cambia cada día al oscurecerse el cielo. Es algo en nuestro cuerpo, en nuestra mente, en nuestra forma de percibir nuestro entorno, lo que contribuye a esta sensación de nocturnidad.

Sería tentador calificar Nocturnes como la clase de música que podríamos escuchar en un planetario, aunque está claro que este trabajo destaca por encima de lo meramente funcional. ¿Es un trabajo ambiental? Sin duda. Pero esto no significa que pueda utilizarse como un mero acompañamiento a otras actividades. Nocturnes demanda nuestra atención, porque su efecto inmersivo es muy acusado y la experiencia musical es mayor si quitamos de en medio todo lo que nos sobra. Ocurre como en las obras que inspiran el estilo de Corbacho, sean los títulos de referencia de Michael Stearns, Steve Roach, Jonn Serrie o Constance Demby: el que tengan un carácter horizontal y planeador no los relega a sonar como banda sonora, porque tienen demasiado calado. Max Corbacho juega en la misma liga que los antes mencionados, y no veo la forma de demostrar lo contrario por mucho que en algunas disciplinas creativas tengamos tendencia a menospreciar lo patrio.

Nocturnes comienza con Dark Sky Opening, que es un largo e impresionante ejercicio de ambient cósmico basado en capas y capas de sonido superpuestas. Describir cómo suena este sonido (valga la redundancia) es muy difícil, porque Corbacho consigue una integración fluida y muy pulida de cada elemento. En realidad, debe ser bastante difícil lograr este carácter orgánico al trabajar con instrumental electrónico, y de hecho hay muchos músicos que fracasan al verse las «costuras» de sus piezas. No se tiene la impresión en ningún momento, sin embargo, de que Nocturnes sea una obra digital, ya que su colorido telúrico parece casi surgido de la propia naturaleza. La segunda pieza, Stellar Time, posee una cualidad algo menos plácida que la anterior, un toque de desasosiego quizá. Creo notar aquí un mayor uso de sonidos que se asemejan a coros. Finalmente, Ghost of the Moon («El fantasma de la Luna») pone la nota más oscura del álbum, aunque de nuevo me remitiré a su escucha, puesto que describir objetivamente una música así es harto complicado.

Explica Corbacho en su página de Bandcamp que Nocturnes surgió de un deseo de compartir experiencias con los oyentes, en concreto las que ha tenido durante varias excursiones campestres nocturnas en las que fue haciendo fotos mientras disfrutaba de esa sensación de nocturnidad que mencionábamos al comienzo. Algunas de estas fotos forman parte del «artwork» del álbum. Personalmente, y habiendo escuchado Nocturnes cinco o seis veces (algunas de un tirón), me lo sigo reservando para cuando pueda escucharlo en un lugar apartado, sin el coche que pasa, sin el perro que ladra, sin la tele de la vecina. Y que sea noche cerrada, claro.

Nocturnes está disponible en ediciones digital y física, tanto en la web del músico www.maxcorbacho.com como en su Bandcamp, donde también podremos escuchar el álbum en streaming.

Dear friends,
Nocturnes available now. Thank you very much for the big amount of pre-orders! Your direct support is vital for the survival of independent artists. Thanks! Listen, buy CD or digital download here: https://maxcorbacho.bandcamp.com/album/nocturnes
Nocturnes is released as CD and digital download through the usual stores (Bandcamp, CDbaby, Amazon, iTunes, etc), and through streaming services as Spotify. I encourage you to share your experience by posting a comment in the stores where you make the purchase, Bandcamp, Amazon, etc. It’s always exciting for me to hear your impressions, plus they’re fuel for my new creations.
Glad to go on the path with you all.

All the best,
Max Corbacho
www.maxcorbacho.com
https://maxcorbacho.bandcamp.com/album/nocturnes