Reviews for Safernoc

Electronic Music Reviews
Safernoc is the latest release from electronic music producer Second Thought, whose first two albums Purlieu, and Vacuum Road Songs explored dark (but not exclusively so) scenes and situations with a mixture of ambient music with techno and IDM/glitch influences and are certainly the two records of his that Safernoc feels most akin to in concept and structure.
'Send More Bees' starts the album in a static fashion, leaving the listener unsure of what direction the album will take, or where we are, thematically.
'Barghest' begins with a sense of tranquility after the noise, with an introduction of strings and synths before beats come in, giving a clear a hint as any that the album will be one of both ambience and beats rather than one or the other. Though the tone of the track changes, the idea remains consistent with 'Night Train'- the interrupted digital glitches bleeding through, adding a corrupted edge to the ambient sounds underneath.
As the strings desist, the track blends seamlessly into 'Marown Dhoo', with a singular piano melody playing over a floor of breathy propellant drones and atmospheric sounds, which feel quite sad, but too in-motion to be contemplative or wistful. It now feels very much as if I am within in the surroundings of Safernoc, but not sure whether I feel like a particularly welcome guest.
The tempo is quickly ratcheted up with the arpeggiated synth opening of 'Savernake' and techno beats. As with previous Second Thought records, the choice of instrumentation is strongly informed by 90's electronic music. And then a chorus of dogs and smashing glass! The track goes through a number of sub-sections, with various elements taking the stage, and even as the glass smashing and field recordings take over towards the end, it feels like a track that has been composed with a pop music mentality, which is another element about the album that makes it such an intriguing listen.
The following track 'Kelpie' really starts to get going as the strings are introduced over the synth notes, with the crackling, breathy loops in the background acting as percussion. Horns make an appearance and suddenly the world of Safernoc seems rather heraldic and noble. It certainly has more than a hint of the old world; myths and fables about it.
At the midway point of the album, two tracks of a longer length provide the record’s backbone. 'Cwn Annwn'’s sinister drones hint at a murky, seldom-visited corner of the countryside. One you wouldn’t much like to be dwelling in. With the added elements of a plucked acoustic melody and some disarming engulfing telephonic synth that sounds rather like being trapped inside a modem with a murderer.
The album intends to explore the ambient side of things just as much, and 'Cwn Annwn' is laced with the sort of lingering sense of dread Second Thought has provided on those previous releases noted at the beginning. Even when the beat kicks in, it’s difficult to imagine what sort of character would be compelled to start dancing at this point. The beat however becomes the next track 'Moss', and introduces a much different mood, pleasant, even catchy, but with some difficult-to-place level of horror, like a rave in a Welsh field in the 90's where the crowd have been told they can never ever leave.
The metronomic tempo is abandoned and like a flash we are thrust into 'Vantage Point' where breaks and buzzsaw synths and bird noise melodies are the order of the day. If that hypothetical Welsh rave existed, they’d probably have enjoyed this one very much as the diving dark motif in the background does as much as anything else to nod its head towards the early 90's club scene. The track shouldn’t work for the album, but it does. Perhaps the changes in tone are what’s important. The album is setting out to find and make new mixtures that produce unique feelings, and doesn’t just rely on its beatless instrumental tracks to do that, as the field recordings often become part of the melody and the beat.
The next track 'Timber Wolf' is a beautiful combination of forest ambience and string synths, which despite the thick crackling overlay of sounds evokes a serene but quite striking moonlit scene, of being out of your element, yet on a primal level, at one with nature. Towards the end, the music gives way to the scenery to become almost entirely ambient. It’s unlikely you will have heard anything quite like it.
The opening synth melody of 'Aqueduct' could hardly be much different, but such is the way Safernoc drags you into its themes, when on paper it should feel like opening another book, it feels more like the next chapter of the one you are already engrossed in. The swirling synth notes feel like they are bursting at the seams and physically stretching and transforming the landscape. As it gives way to the lone melody, there is a sense that the most involving point of the album has been worked towards.
The final short track 'Beddgelert’'s piano feels very much like a parting farewell from the world and rather impressively, 56 minutes into the album, feels like it’s too soon. Safernoc seems to have an innate understanding of how a music record should work for the listener as an experience. The structure and the stylistic content of the album never make it anything less than engaging, and often make it surprising and exhilarating too.
As electronic music changes and evolves from the creative hotbed of the club scene in the 90's, one of the saving graces is that the producers of the 21st century more greatly understand the power of that music to tell a story. Safernoc feels like someone is telling you a story. I can’t say anything that more adequately describes it nor that praises it any more than it deserves to be. You should listen to it.


Tuning Into the Obscure
We start off with “Send Some Bees,” a track deep in the ambient realm with a simple distorted beat and enticing synth. This is a great opening track; it pulls me in completely, though gently. “Night Train” bursts into my ears with an angry hiss. Distorted noise and tweaked synth dominate the first minute before soothing pads creep in to break things up. It’s an interesting piece, somewhere between noise and ambient with the balance leaping from side to side.
Before long, we’re in “Berghest,” and things really seem to form here. Strings and brilliant builds lead to a gentle glitch beat, creating an ancient landscape that might be being looking upon by the future. It sends us more into the theme of the album, hinting at the myths and legends of the British Isles—many of the tracks are titled thusly.
“Marown Dhoo” is ambience and modern classical combined. Piano and deep strings meet soft synth and a well hidden beat create a pristine and wondrous landscape. It, I believe, is named after a river on the Isle of Man, and the certainly seems to come through here.
With a rushing pad, we’re off to the forest on track five. Here, with a rapid beat, we’re in the heart of “Savermake.” This is where the historical King of Limbs tree grows, which has been referenced numerous times elsewhere, including the cover of Radiohead’s newest album. Before long, the music gives way to glass shattering and the baying of hounds, and the beat is on the run. We’re chased into the next track, “Kelpie,” a slower but string-filled ambient gem. Shortly, we’re sent into the next track, where we cross paths with field recordings, haunting textured voices, frightening synth and backwards samples. It’s dark and quite captivating. After a while of being afraid to turn the lights off, a pulsing beat picks up and I’m tapping my toes. Nice transition! We’re now onto the track, “Moss.” Now here’s a track I would love to hear on vinyl. A nice, simple beat carries us over a very ambient background and I can’t help but want to bob my head. Very unlike the nature of moss and very enjoyable.
Witha distorted acidic breakbeat, we’re at a new “Vantage Point” keeping watch on the forest around us. Historically, there are a few vantage points constructed in Safernoc forest, and I can imagine a time where they might have been in use when getting a feel of the energy of this track. Not sure exactly what sort of organic sample is being used in the background on the track, but I am giving major points for originality with that one. Again, here is a track that would be amazing on a pair of huge speakers—ambient mixing itself with acid, breakbeat and Orbital-esque trance and I have to say, the result is astounding. Perfect.
And with a smooth transition, we’re onto track ten: “Timber Wolf.” Strings are fed through the tubes to create a sort of 78rpm record feel… the crisp, lo-fi and ancient sounding audio makes for one very moving, almost haunting listen. It’s probably one of my favorite pieces on the album for that reason; the production wizardry is inspiring for me. Mix in some birds and other elements from the field and you’ve got a priceless modern classical piece.
We gently flow into the final two tracks of the album. Classical entwines with a river of humming and fluttering ambience on “Aqueduct.” Gorgeous piano echoes on the final track, “Baddgelest.” It’s simple and beautiful, making a brilliant end to this superb album.

What I like about this aside from the music’s mix of genres is that Baker used many myths and legends from the area, many of which may not be widely known to most folks. It gives a new depth to the music and really creates a thought provoking retelling of the tales of old. For me, this is a fantastic album.
Should you buy this? Ambient makes a great partner to modern classical, as we have seen on many releases, and here, the material is fresh, deep and brilliant. If you enjoy ambience and the ever-evolving nature of it, this is definitely for you. Even if you’re a casual listener in this field, you still should check this out; it is well worth it. This release is available on FSOLdigital for a small price and an EP from this album is available from Second Thought’s webpage and Jerky Oats. There are many other releases from Second Thought as well, including one on Treetrunk Records that’s becoming quite popular. Take a look!

4.80 out of 5.


Terrascope
Safernoc by Second Thought (aka Ross Baker, another Kentish gentleman) looks for its inspiration not to Berlin but to Britain, not least ancient Britain and its myths and legends, with the moorland artwork reflecting the mood presented in the music. Baker has released a number of albums since 2004, returning on this new one to less rhythmic, more flowing styles. Opening cut 'Send More Bees' pits a loping rhythm with subtle chords, but then we are thrown into the glitchy sounds of 'Night Train,' which for a few moments goes mad, before emerging into calmer territories. 'Barghest' is a lovely melange of light rhythm, shimmering texture and haunting synth, which, having arrived, branches off into more glitchy samples. 'Marown Dhoo' opens light and ambient, before deep, sonorous notes and a strange steam-train rhythm emerge; then they're away, and the track returns to ambience. Another atmospheric track, this one. 'Savernake' is a more traditional cut, relying on 4/4 electro-rhythm and bouncing synths, before we hit the mystery of 'Kelpie,' which evokes water and time through its orchestral synths, basic rhythm and chord sequence. 'Cwn Annwn' matches distorted voices and field recordings with weird samples, segueing into 'Moss,' which returns to glitchy rhythms and minimal synth drones. 'Vantage Point' is acid, mad and bad, with everything distorted to the max, while 'Timber Wolf' is a soundscape of birdsong, synths and transistor-radio textures. 'Aqueduct' channels Tangerine Dream by way of Dougans & Cobain, while album closer 'Beddgelert' pits piano samples against one another, creating another atmospheric cut. The scope and variety of this album act in its favour, creating an hour of absorbing listening. Available at FSOL Digital, and highly recommended.


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