Originally released in Japan on the Belgian
Crammed Discs label and subsequently re-issued on
Made to Measure,
Douzieme Journee treads that odd ground combining
ambient music with
roots in
Eno and various so-called world musics, here concentrating on those found in Northern Africa and the Mid-East. This confluence seems to have been in the air at the time as witness similar efforts from
Hector Zazou and the
Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
Lew and ex-
Tuxedomoon member
Brown, ably assisted by label mainstay
Marc Hollander, fashion cinematic sound-pictures heavy on rich drones and invigorated by generally Arabic rhythms. Worlds collide, but do so in a gentle, dreamy manner such that the abuttal of ringing synthesizer and handheld drum sounds illogically natural.
Lew would go on to refine this approach leading up to his superb
Nebka, but all the groundwork has been laid herein, making this a worthwhile pick-up for listeners of ethno-ambient music that still retains some bite and otherworldliness. ~ Brian Olewnick