Labradford- Mi Media Naranja (1997) MP3 & FLAC

Not quite Ambient, not quite Post-Rock, yet containing the best traits of both, Labradford's Mi Media Naranja creates a darkly-lit soundscape full of dusty, desolate expanses illuminated by Mark Nelson's melancholy spaghetti-western melodies. While certainly minimalist in approach, this is music that rewards familiarity because each track is fleshed out with many subtle details that only unfurl with repeated listens. For example, on the surface, the gorgeous opening track, "S," sounds something like a Morricone-inspired lullaby; however, just beneath the twang can be heard the rumble of a volcanic watery drone counterpoised with a high-pitched electronic bell effect ringing out a faint Dub-style beat. This oblique arrangement creates both a sense of formlessness and movement, making the song instantly memorable but even more revelatory on the second listen. Labradford really came into their own on this album, trading in the cluttered gloom of earlier releases for a more cinematic journey into the abyss. Highly recommended.

Pan•American- S/T (1997) MP3 & FLAC -For theStarry-

On Pan•American, Mark Nelson's solo project debut, he takes leave of the Ambient-informed Post-Rock of his then-main gig Labradford by constructing melancholy Electronic excursions that successfully wed dub-style rhythms to diverse and multi-layered experimental soundscapes. While later Pan•American efforts have tended to proceed in a more minimalist Ambient direction, the debut is ultimately more memorable because it, in many ways, is a hybrid creature, seamlessly traversing different genres and methods, and in doing so, creating something distinctive and surprisingly cohesive. For example, on "Lent," the guitar and organ effects create a noir-like vibe that wouldn't be out of place on a Chris Isaak album, but the spare yet insistent beat and ghostly whispered vocals suggest something far more dark and sinister. Pan•American was an album well ahead of its time back in 1997, and listening to it now makes me wish Nelson had pursued this muse a little while longer.