Preview: Mountains/Empty Bottle

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Ghostly, otherwordly and surreal, Mountains’ “Choral” is an echo chamber of memory, a soundtrack to racing in dreams. Broad and remorseful, the instrumental soundscapes, mixtures of field recordings, acoustic instruments, ambient vocal musings and electronics, quickly reach a level of pristine sublimity. Hypnosis intervenes. The gradual build of each track recalls the work of, of course, Brian Eno, but somehow finds a way to sound as if it’s a new exploration, something never dared nor dreamed, the missing piece to a puzzle that doesn’t yet exist. “Choral” is the duo’s third record, and it comes to us via the great local label Thrill Jockey, and it’s an open field of green, an ice-covered landscape, glacial and reflective, a brief and clear look into the infinity of space. All of these at once, it sounds like a secret. It’s weather patterns and brief breezes and chilly nights alone in bed. It’s fucking gorgeous. What a strange, strange dream we’re having. (Tom Lynch)

Mountains plays April 26 at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, (773)276-3600, at 7:30pm. $10.

Author: tomnewcity