| In Tibetan Buddhist cosmology the word,
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| | of their sound. Elements that while they
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| "Bardo" refers to an intermediate state.
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| | were always present, are now more front
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| Specifically, a state between two lives
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| | and center allowing them to shine.The
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| on Earth.According to Tibetan tradition
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| | obvious and most welcome of these is the
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| after one has died and before one's next
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| | voice and flute of Isobel Sollenberger.
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| birth, one's consciousness experiences a
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| | On previous releases her voice has, while
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| wide variety of phenomena. These
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| | adding texture, been primarily buried
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| experiences and visions range from
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| | under a mountain of crushing feedback.
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| beautiful to terrifying and provide one
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| | Her flute has shown up before but on this
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| with opportunities to reach enlightenment
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| | album it also takes center stage. The
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| or to suffer a lower rebirth. This cosmic
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| | repositioning of Sollenberger toward the
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| video game landscape is laid out in
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| | center of Bardo Pond's sound is an
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| extreme detail within the pages of the
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| | absolute masterstroke! Oddly for a voice
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| Tibetan Book of the Dead. This book also
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| | that can sound as eerie and wistful as
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| serves as a guide to be read to the
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| | hers, it provides somewhat of an anchor
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| recently deceased to help them as they
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| | or focal point that helps guide and
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| navigate through the Bardo.A pond is a
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| | propel these songs along. Bardo Pond's
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| body of water which is generally defined
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| | music has always been a wild ride. they
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| by its' size. A pond is smaller than a
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| | patch together huge crushing chunks of
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| lake and is usually shallow enough that
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| | feedback with time-lag tempos and wrap
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| sunlight can reach the bottom. Another
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| | the whole business in a druggy,
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| defining characteristic is that ponds, as
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| | vasoline-smeared gauze.Their music can
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| opposed to lakes, are usually the result
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| | sound like summer lightning moving
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| of rain run-off, mineral springs or very
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| | through a vast ocean of molasses and
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| small streams. Typically a pond has
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| | believe me folks, that's a very good
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| little or no outflow drainage and as a
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| | thing! Much as Sonic Youth has done on
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| result ponds develop self-contained
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| | their newest, Bardo Pond has taken one of
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| ecosystems. Ponds also display the
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| | their sonic signatures, noisy skronk, and
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| formation of 'scum" which is the common
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| | is now using it more sparingly or
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| name for the large amount of dead and
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| | strategically. And just as it did on the
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| decaying vegetation condensing on the
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| | SY's album this usage shows both growth
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| surface of the water. A contributor to
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| | and power. It's like a great boxer saving
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| the pond scum buildup is the presence of
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| | their best punch for those perfect
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| algae which multiplies rapidly in the
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| | moments. Another lovely aspect to this
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| nutrient rich and sunlight exposed
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| | album are the song lengths. In a music
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| waters.In reading through these
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| | culture absolutely awash in 2-3 minute
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| definitions I'm struck by how, when
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| | pop songs, Bardo Pond makes a statement
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| combined, they provide a pretty good
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| | with the 8-18 minute pieces alone. It's
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| description of the music of the band,
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| | as though they are saying, "Slow down,
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| Bardo Pond.Okay, for any of you
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| | pay attention. These things take time"
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| literalists out there, I'm not suggesting
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| | Highlight songs include, "Moonshine",
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| that the band are all dead water spirits
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| | "FCII", "Lost World" and a stunning cover
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| covered in scum! I'm speaking more of a
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| | of the Beatles "Cry, Baby Cry".It is
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| poetic vision of their music and how it
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| | always a pleasant experience to hear a
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| winds out. Within their music we find
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| | band you love continue to evolve and
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| elements of hallucinogenic visions and
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| | grow. Bardo Pond has recently released a
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| often there are large squishy mats of
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| | flurry of small to microscopic
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| algae-like noise.With "Ticket Crystals"
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| | independent discs on labels such as
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| (ATP Recordings) Bardo Pond has released
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| | 3-Lobed and aRCHIVE. All of these
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| its' best album yet. I don't say this
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| | releases are radically different so it's
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| lightly as they have put out some heavy
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| | hard to say if the Sollenberger as
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| stuff in the past eleven years. In
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| | central-axis is a new direction or a
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| particular the albums, 'Set and Setting"
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| | passing experiment. Hopefully it's a bit
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| and "Dilate" are awash in vast oceans of
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| | of both. Either way, Bardo Pond has
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| sound perfection and ambiance.However,
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| | released an amazing disc here. It is a
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| "Ticket Crystals" simply sets a new
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| | set of challenging, eye-opening and
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| standard. It also re-prioritizes elements
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| | beautiful music.
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