BIOSPHERE
"Cirque"
(2000)
Geir Jenssen's 1997 album Substrata has, since
its release, come to be regarded as one of the finest ambient releases of the last decade.
Three years on, with the release of Cirque, Jenssen has done more than anyone could have
expected, released an album to rival Substrata. There's a progression in Biosphere's
albums, all of which are excellent in their own right. With Patashnik Jenssen evolved the
slightly rough-cut Ambient-Techno of his first release Microgravity before producing his
seminal work Substrata. In some senses the antithesis of Patashnik, Substrata defined a
new direction for Jenssen and in so doing created some of the most chillingly beautiful
ambient music. So too has Cirque evolved from the sound of Substrata, or perhaps devolved.
Where Substrata explored an undeniably dark place, Cirque has a far more organic feel.
Without losing the sense of space and the originality of its predecessor, Cirque speaks
the same language but arguably with a more mature manner. Ambient tracks, such as the
strangely disjoined 'Black Lamb', and Grey Falcon', lie amid beat-driven tracks, such as
'Le Grand Dome', which sound like echoes of
Patashnik played from the reference point of Substrata. Partially inspired by the
incredible story of Chris McCandless, Cirque
captures some of the majesty of the bleak Alaskan landscape where he survived for about 16
weeks before dying of starvation. Intensely idealistic McCandless led an unusual life,
eventually leading him to enter the Alaskan wilderness without map, watch or compass and
with only a ten-pound bag of rice for food. Ever on the brink of starvation, his return
route cut off by a river fueled from melting glaciers and poisoned by an indigenous plant,
McCandless found a measure of peace as starvation set in for the final time.
Even listeners unwilling to accept absolute meaning in music will find the story of
McCandless a preferable, and perhaps more accurate, description of the gamut of emotions
covered by Cirque, than any of the usual enigmatic ambient music descriptions that do the
rounds. At the very least the story makes for an interesting literal interpretation to
ponder upon as you slip the disc into your CD player, lie back in your couch and let the
music take you away. All of which I highly recommend you do.
(c) Toby Baker |