Jefre Cantu-Ledesma - Love Is A Stream

This modern favourite is another great inclusion in the 2010 ambient canon - clearly a really pivotal year for a number of different genres. Falling somewhere between Tim Hecker and Yellow Swans, Love Is A Stream feels like watching shimmering stars under a thick layer of fog. Similar to some of my favourite moments on Harmony in Ultraviolet, the majority of this record has this hugely clouded but fragmented feel to it, kind of like riding a train and seeing strobey beams of sunlight blaring between each building and tree. There’s an immense amount of control displayed on this record, as well as tension and release, where there’s little vignette interludes falling between gargantuan walls of sound to break up the narrative of the album, giving the listener a much-needed breather. It’s a balance that seems very tough to capture, and I can see how with its incredible sound design and careful pacing, it’s so celebrated in the collection of great modern ambient records.

KEY TRACK: Star Garden - I know there’s longer and more fully-fleshed out moments here, but this one always catches me off guard with how Jefre manages to make this screeching feedback equally grating and soothing.