Hypnagogue
When last we heard from Mingo, he had crossed over the musical river, away from his dark-edged, often tribally toned electronic musings to dabble–quite well, it must be said–in the shinier realms of New Age. With The Blue Star he returns to refine the sound that resonated with me on albums such as The Once and Future World and The Light That Bends. And while I have enjoyed everything I’ve heard from Mingo over the years, I do have to say that I prefer him on this side of the river. The Blue Star deals in curtains of light-grey shadow, the pulse of percussion mixed with suggestions of EDM, and wafts of slow pads both comforting and ominous. After the opening track speaks its relatively quiet peace with long bass chords and a pleasant-if-mildly-haunted piano, Mingo nudges us toward the darker side of things. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of twilight to see by, and the murky stuff is well in the distance. “Narvi” uses percussion to give us our first hint of a primitive influence—less tribal than just organically simple and marking a nascent rhythm while long pads drone beneath it. A tone like bass flute comes in to underscore it before Mingo pulls a smooth shift and goes toward more of a spacemusic motif courtesy of big, shining pads. Two tracks in the middle of the release are where we pick up some vibrancy and that nod to EDM. On “Amida” Mingo folds percussion in over windy drones and keeps easing the intensity upward. Soon enough it’s chugging and churning like an industrial thing, its rhythm made entirely of pulses. It will catch hold of you and pull you along for a few minutes. Then comes this album’s money shot: “Omega Point.” I cannot stop listening to this. It’s got some Berlin pedigree, it’s got an amped-up electro-pop attitude, it drones, it hums, it moves from potential to kinetic and you barely feel the acceleration. What you do feel is the joy of the thing. It’s reveling in its old-school garb and it’s doing it without a lot of effort. At its high point, what you’re listening to are two notes, maybe three, just repeating their phrase as the drone forms beneath it very slightly change key. I hear so many 80s echoes in this piece. Probably why I adore it so. And it’s worth repeating that it does it in a fantastically minimal style. That’s what strikes me about The Blue Star—how much Mingo is able to convey using what amounts to very little movement. There’s a deceptive simplicity at work; the elements alone don’t do much, if you listen closely. They stretch. They repeat themselves. They hold a note. And yet, when they’re layered, out comes this fantastic dynamic even though you know it’s still not doing much. “A Glimpse of Dawn” is a perfect example. It pulses and throbs, it sends spirals of electro-squibble off into the air now and then like it’s testing something, it sings softly to itself. It’s also got texture, an odd energy, and a weirdly compelling tone. The title track grows patiently as you listen, with fresh layers of sound cleaving off and rising without your really noticing. Each new bit feels like it’s been waiting all along.
Repeat listens are a given with The Blue Star. It dovetails nicely into itself and each new listen seems to uncover one more secret. Its mix of space and primitive, dark and less dark, and its commitment to effective minimal structure has made it a personal favorite. Dive into this one immediately. Mingo is always worth listening to, and The Blue Star is him at his best.
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My track "Dreemliner" is my submission for the 57th Grammy's. If you are a voting member - please have a listen and your consideration is appreciated. And of course, let me know if you have any submissions for my consideration this year. Thanks!
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Released a 4 track EDM EP "Don't Stop This Night" last week. Available on iTunes, Spotify and more. Check out the complete EP at http://www.mingosphere.com
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"Sky Over Sea" has been submitted to the 56th Grammy's for nomination consideration
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The title to Mingo's latest release "Sky Over Sea", suggests that this is a musical journey, by sky and sea. That would be an understatement. While this album does take you to the sky and sea, it starts out on a launchpad and blasts you into the cosmos. You observe the planet below for awhile as you share the orbit with the moon. Then, you descend back to mother earth, gently splashing down into the ocean. And towards the end of the album, you gently drift over the horizon into a land known only to Mingo.
While this album borrows in part from some of his previous releases, notably the ambient drifts of "The Once And Future World", and the tribal percussion from "Kailasa" - the first two tracks, "Candelabra Sky" and "The Beach House", are a welcoming departure from anything I've heard from Mingo's previous efforts. These first two tracks engage the listener with their hypnotic, electronic rhythm, while gentle ambient washes and tribalesque flute melodies fill out the rest of the track. It's as if you are observing the future and the past at the same time. And the rest of the album only gets better.
Truly another great album from Mingo. If you are unfamiliar with his work - this it the one you want to get. - SpaceCase
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My track "Ravidina" from my latest album "Kailasa" has been featured this week on the public radio syndicated show Echoes with John Diliberto. http://echoes.org
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"Kailasa" is included in the 2012 ZMR Music Awards for "Best Relaxation/Meditation Album" Catagory
http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/qualify1.asp
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"Once and Future World" physical CD only $5 (reg. $20) each. If they don't sell they will get "recycled" by CDbaby!
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mingosphere
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"Kailasa" was included in New Age Music World Best Electronic Albums – 2012
http://www.newagemusicworld.com/best-electronic-albums-2012
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I’ve followed Mingo’s musical path ever since he hooked me with The Once and Future World, but if you’d had me sit down to listen to his new release, Kailasa, without telling me who it was, I would never have guessed.
Read the rest of the review at the Hypnagogue site:
http://hypnagogue.net/2012/12/06/mingo-kailasa
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Mingo / Blog
Hypnagogue Review of "The Blue Star"
Hypnagogue When last we heard from Mingo, he had crossed over the musical river, away from his dark-edged, often tribally toned electronic musings to dabble–quite well, it must be said–in the shinier realms of New Age. With The Blue Star he returns to refine the sound that resonated with me on albums such as The Once and Future World and The Light That Bends. And while I have enjoyed everything I’ve heard from Mingo over the years, I do have to say that I prefer him on this side of the river. The Blue Star deals in curtains of light-grey shadow, the pulse of percussion mixed with suggestions of EDM, and wafts of slow pads both comforting and ominous. After the opening track speaks its relatively quiet peace with long bass chords and a pleasant-if-mildly-haunted piano, Mingo nudges us toward the darker side of things. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of twilight to see by, and the murky stuff is well in the distance. “Narvi” uses percussion to give us our first hint of a primitive influence—less tribal than just organically simple and marking a nascent rhythm while long pads drone beneath it. A tone like bass flute comes in to underscore it before Mingo pulls a smooth shift and goes toward more of a spacemusic motif courtesy of big, shining pads. Two tracks in the middle of the release are where we pick up some vibrancy and that nod to EDM. On “Amida” Mingo folds percussion in over windy drones and keeps easing the intensity upward. Soon enough it’s chugging and churning like an industrial thing, its rhythm made entirely of pulses. It will catch hold of you and pull you along for a few minutes. Then comes this album’s money shot: “Omega Point.” I cannot stop listening to this. It’s got some Berlin pedigree, it’s got an amped-up electro-pop attitude, it drones, it hums, it moves from potential to kinetic and you barely feel the acceleration. What you do feel is the joy of the thing. It’s reveling in its old-school garb and it’s doing it without a lot of effort. At its high point, what you’re listening to are two notes, maybe three, just repeating their phrase as the drone forms beneath it very slightly change key. I hear so many 80s echoes in this piece. Probably why I adore it so. And it’s worth repeating that it does it in a fantastically minimal style. That’s what strikes me about The Blue Star—how much Mingo is able to convey using what amounts to very little movement. There’s a deceptive simplicity at work; the elements alone don’t do much, if you listen closely. They stretch. They repeat themselves. They hold a note. And yet, when they’re layered, out comes this fantastic dynamic even though you know it’s still not doing much. “A Glimpse of Dawn” is a perfect example. It pulses and throbs, it sends spirals of electro-squibble off into the air now and then like it’s testing something, it sings softly to itself. It’s also got texture, an odd energy, and a weirdly compelling tone. The title track grows patiently as you listen, with fresh layers of sound cleaving off and rising without your really noticing. Each new bit feels like it’s been waiting all along.
Repeat listens are a given with The Blue Star. It dovetails nicely into itself and each new listen seems to uncover one more secret. Its mix of space and primitive, dark and less dark, and its commitment to effective minimal structure has made it a personal favorite. Dive into this one immediately. Mingo is always worth listening to, and The Blue Star is him at his best.
Reply
Dreemliner - 57th Grammy's
My track "Dreemliner" is my submission for the 57th Grammy's. If you are a voting member - please have a listen and your consideration is appreciated. And of course, let me know if you have any submissions for my consideration this year. Thanks!
Reply
Don't Stop This Night - EDM EP
Released a 4 track EDM EP "Don't Stop This Night" last week. Available on iTunes, Spotify and more. Check out the complete EP at http://www.mingosphere.com
Reply
56th Grammy's
"Sky Over Sea" has been submitted to the 56th Grammy's for nomination consideration
Reply
Sky Over Sea review
The title to Mingo's latest release "Sky Over Sea", suggests that this is a musical journey, by sky and sea. That would be an understatement. While this album does take you to the sky and sea, it starts out on a launchpad and blasts you into the cosmos. You observe the planet below for awhile as you share the orbit with the moon. Then, you descend back to mother earth, gently splashing down into the ocean. And towards the end of the album, you gently drift over the horizon into a land known only to Mingo.
While this album borrows in part from some of his previous releases, notably the ambient drifts of "The Once And Future World", and the tribal percussion from "Kailasa" - the first two tracks, "Candelabra Sky" and "The Beach House", are a welcoming departure from anything I've heard from Mingo's previous efforts. These first two tracks engage the listener with their hypnotic, electronic rhythm, while gentle ambient washes and tribalesque flute melodies fill out the rest of the track. It's as if you are observing the future and the past at the same time. And the rest of the album only gets better.
Truly another great album from Mingo. If you are unfamiliar with his work - this it the one you want to get. - SpaceCase
Reply
Ravidina featured on Echoes
My track "Ravidina" from my latest album "Kailasa" has been featured this week on the public radio syndicated show Echoes with John Diliberto. http://echoes.org
Reply
"Kailasa" ZMR Award nomination consideration
"Kailasa" is included in the 2012 ZMR Music Awards for "Best Relaxation/Meditation Album" Catagory
http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/qualify1.asp
Reply
Must Go - Once and future world
"Once and Future World" physical CD only $5 (reg. $20) each. If they don't sell they will get "recycled" by CDbaby!
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mingosphere
Reply
Best Electronic Albums – 2012
"Kailasa" was included in New Age Music World Best Electronic Albums – 2012
http://www.newagemusicworld.com/best-electronic-albums-2012
Reply
Kailasa review on Hypnagogue
I’ve followed Mingo’s musical path ever since he hooked me with The Once and Future World, but if you’d had me sit down to listen to his new release, Kailasa, without telling me who it was, I would never have guessed.
Read the rest of the review at the Hypnagogue site:
http://hypnagogue.net/2012/12/06/mingo-kailasa
Reply