Abul Mogard - Above All Dreams

[kichiguy]

 

Abul Mogard is back with a 60 minutes of blissed out ambient goodness. Lore has it this music is channeled straight from the soul of 60+ yr old retired Serbian factory worker, although that's probably a bunch of hooey. Expect fasifa organs, modular synthesis and evocative melodies.  

 

Bandcamp

Vinyl

 

Above All Dreams is Abul Mogard’s beautifully absorbing new solo record for Ecstatic - his first since the Circular Forms and his popular Works [2016] compilation. 

 

Counting six original pieces in its 66 minute wingspan, there’s no mistaking that Above All Dreams is the most expansive solo release by Mogard to date. And taking into account the sets’s intangible divinity and cinematic quality - the result of no less than three years diligent work - it is arguably elevated to the level of his master opus; presenting an essentially single malt modular distillation of Mogard’s most intoxicating strain of hauntology. 

 

Consistent with Mogard’s music since the sought-after VCO tapes c. 2012-2013, the allure to Above All Dreams lies in his ability to evoke and render feelings which are perhaps purposefully avoided in more academic echelons of drone music. Rather than a purist expression of physics thru maths and geometry, Mogard more complexly voices his soul, improvising on modular synth for hours, days, months and years in the same way a more conventional “band” develops group intuition.

 

While hands-on, the intuitive evolution of process locates a newfound freedom in his music that implies a recognition of the metaphysical or post-physical, while Mogard explicitly points to influence from the Brazilian music of Tom Zé, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Chico Buarque, whose approach to shape and density, or perceptions of light and delicacy, also go some way to explaining the ephemeral intangibility of Above All Dreams. 

 

The results of are thus best considered as the ephemera of non-verbal communications. From the gaseous bloom of Quiet Dreams to the opiated depth of Where Not Even to the starlit awn of Upon The Smallish Circulation, and thru the B-side’s keeling, 16 mins+ panoramas of Above All Dreams and The Roof Falls, the power of Abul Mogard’s dreams above all transcends sound, feeling and physics in a truly remarkable and intangible way that evades words or concrete notation. It’s just incredibly special and poignant in a way that has resonated with a lot of listeners, and will continue to do so as long as people have ears and feelings. 

 

[Pholant]

Yes! i like this one too! His "Works" was also very good!

[purlieu]

Been playing this every day since I got it. Gorgeous record. The mastering is so bloody quiet though, got it turned up to max to get a decent immersive experience which leads to a bit of emphasis on vinyl noises. But yeah, wonderful album.

[11ls]

Just got round to giving this a first spin.  Initial reaction is better than Works but still prefer Circular Forms.  Might change over time though...

[Hk47]

I just recently got into Abul Mogard... Circular Forms is outstanding... 

I still need to get my hands on this... but I'm very much looking forward to falling into this one. 

=D

[Extralife]

Write up is cringeworthy but music is very very good. Fading out to this one tonight.

[ARPA]

Abul's bio is questionable, but his music is pretty great/good/nice, it's true, so who cares.
Good album this one too, /me sedated    

[kichiguy]

Been playing this every day since I got it. Gorgeous record. The mastering is so bloody quiet though, got it turned up to max to get a decent immersive experience which leads to a bit of emphasis on vinyl noises. But yeah, wonderful album.

 

Pretty music to fall asleep too. Whoever is behind this project knows how to write a mournful tune. But glad I exercise some restraint and didn't splurge on the pricey vinyl.

[Salvatorin]

lush