Sleep Reseach Facility - Nostromo [Cold Spring Records - 2008]After the release of their superb second album and one the ambient highlights of last year Deep Frieze, it seems only fitting that Cold Spring should revisit & reissue the projects first album from 2001 here presented with enhanced artwork and extra track. As any Sci-fi/ Horror film fan worth his/her salt will know that the albums title comes from the name of the ship on the original Alien Film from 1979. The album is based around the first eight mintues of the film & the near silent moving of the massive ship as it makes it way though endless twist and turns of space. Each track is split into deck letters starting with Deck A working all the way down to Deck E. Each track getting deeper, darker and less active as we journey down into the ships near silent pits were the darkness is pressing and seemingly endless. This is ambience that slowly but surely strips it self down of movement and event pulling you deeper and deeper into a sinister, vast and tension fearful 'something might jump out' at you atmosphere. We go from the throbbing lo-fi electro loop textures and relative active feel of Deck A, down to the eerier static crackle and deep subterranean throb of Deck E. The extra track here is named after the smaller scout ship of the Nostromo which of course lands on the Alien’s planet. The track runs just shy of 8 minute mark and though very rewarding in its own right it does somehow break the atmosphere and vast echo tone of Deck E. As there is quite a lot more movement and textural development going on with-in Narcissus. So a nice extra just best played on it’s own, instead of letting it follow on from Deck E. All in all a clever and atmospheric excise in ambience with a intriguing theme, with plenty of scope for creeping one self out as you walk the deserted decks of the Nostromo in ones mind eye. Roger Batty
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