Tobias Hellkvist
Transports
self-released
I have the utmost admiration for young artists who take on a genre that is often ignored or belittled by others, and proceed to inject fresh new life into it. Sweden's Tobias Hellkvist has done just that in the area of drone-based ambient with his exceptional new CD "Transports". This is a virtually flawless, efficiently produced showcase of warm, shimmering drones and evocative sonic adornments that exemplifies why some of us are still in love with ambient. Hellkvist has the aesthetic of an inspired painter, lost in the beauty of what's slowly emerging on his canvas. "Aching," "Slowly but surely" and "Nothingland" are all lush, hypnotic soundscapes with the shimmer of a frozen lake on a sunny winter morning; "Moment at Ven" utilizes gentle guitar picking and seaside bird calls to place you squarely in a soothing landscape. Nothing is wasted or excessive here, it's just seven perfect tracks of serene, blissful ambient pleasure.
- Kevin Renick
