The immediately noticeable thing about
Loscil's
Plume is how engaging it is right from the first waves of quiet static that so aptly complement the smoke stack artwork. Instantly "Motoc" sets the tone for the remainder of the album, whose gentle percussion and pulses of static supply the rhythm bed, which other artists using organic instruments (xylophone, vibes, guitar, Rhodes piano) quietly improvise over. The band are disciplined in their freedom, playing melodic passages with sparseness and attention to timing. This creates a tranquil and melancholic mood music that not only runs throughout
Plume, but helps to carry over some continuity from the serenity and density of
Loscil's previous releases. The wispy nature of "Steam" is not unlike the sounds found on labelmate
Christopher Bissonette's debut recording Periphery, while "Chinook" is the perfect soundtrack for a rainy spring afternoon. An impressive release from an artist who never fails to deliver the goods. ~ Rob Theakston