Iceblink – Carpet Cocoon (Moon Glyph)

I’m sure by now you all know WOO, if not by all means start with Into the Heart of Love. It seems via reissues etc. their influence is starting to ripple in a larger pond, between the stunning works of Francis Plagne and now Iceblink. Let’s call it Avant Teatime. It has to have at least two of the following elements: Eno/Wyatt/Fripp, freeform jazz in bulky sweaters, early electronics, a touch of Alice in Wonderland-ish grotesque, pastoral folk. Iceblink hits the trifecta, while leaning into the gentler side of prog. The title Carpet Cocoon may even be a nod to early Genesis (“The Carpet Crawlers”?). Attempting vocals can be dangerous when dealing with such rococo material, and Iceblink avoids them. There are also no idle drones or repetition, instead Iceblink builds slowly evolving melodic compositions for nylon string guitar, effects and bubbling minimal electronics. Also of note are the flute and saxophone parts that lend this a touch of class. Iceblink’s songwriting rides the line between background and engaging perfectly, pure pleasure in a work of art. 

*Full disclosure, Moon Glyph released a couple tapes for me in 2013.

Tuluum Shimmering – Blue Water Sunday (Tuluum Shimmering Records)

While I am still flying on tea, heavily steeped PG Tips, I want to mention another brilliant artist perfect for a dappled sunlit front room experience: Tuluum Shimmering. I’m fascinated by the ridiculously long tracks and massive back catalog. You could listen for a week straight and still not make a dent. It must be based on live looping of folk instruments, woodwinds and hand percussion, but I can’t be sure. I coined the term Hobbit Wave to describe it. For that I apologize, but it does evoke visions of Shire residents smoking pipeweed and napping in tall grass. Imagine if the Incredible String Band managed to get ahold of a clunky green Line 6 looper in 1969? The Collin Walcott/Don Cherry ECM project CODONA also comes to mind. This is a fusion of Terry Riley style loop jams and Third Ear Band folk improv wrapped in a pleasant package of sun prints, recycled paper and homespun mysticism. I picked Blue Water Sunday, his latest 4 hour release, but you can dive into the slipstream anywhere on his page.