For The Love Of…by Distant Fires Burning

Distant Fires Burning | For The Love Of…
Audiobulb Records (CS/DL)

Review by Darren McClure

The fourth album from this ambient project by Gert De Meester finds the artist stretching his processing skills into interesting territories. His background as the bassist in bands assists in the direction of Distant Fires Burning, focused as it is on the sounds of the Fender Jazz Bass. The bass guitar isn’t a common instrument adapted to experimental drone music, the only band I can think of that has put it to the fore is the British group Rothko, who use the low tones to paint sonic vistas as minimal as their namesake.

De Meester’s use of the bass often veers into these widescreen ambient soundscapes, but also uses the plucked strings to generate rhythms. Computer processing is evident on this recording, with granular textures and delays affecting notes and strums.

This album is…