We Care Because You Do

We Care Because You Do by The ÁST Project came out two Fridays ago, a twenty four track compilation put together by Mark Darby of Mighty Force and Gabriel Mendes. It is an ode to friendship, connections, the love of music and Árni Grétar. 

At the album's Bandcamp page, the text reads as follows; 'Árni Grétar, also known as Futuregrapher, has been a beacon of light and dedication to his craft, channeling it through the most captivating forms of electronica while bringing together a stellar community of like-minded flair from around the planet. His boundless drive is an inspiration to many. 2024 has proven to be a transformative and challenging year for our dear friend, yet the fire of his labels, personal productions, and collaborations has never dimmed. Through this music, we wish mostly to express our friendship and gratitude to Árni for all the magic he consistently brings into the world. All proceeds from this compilation will go directly to Árni to help with unexpected expenses in the times ahead'. 

The twenty four tracks contained within the album are of the highest quality, a perfect example of how electronic machine music can be innovative, emotive and  utterly absorbing. Some of the names are familiar to these pages- Fluffy Inside, Solipsism, Paddy Thorne and Myoptik have all featured previously as releases on Mighty Force. You can click play on track one, Dreamer by Augen, and let the album unfold, or dip in and out- either approach will reward. Dreamer is a seven minute ambient/ techno excursion, glassy synths and drones, the sound of Arctic forests and frozen lakes with some kind of thaw coming halfway through, the thump of low end and a pulse, light in the darkness. 

I could pick any of the remaining twenty three tracks almost at random- ambience, techno, electronica, braindance are abundant. Silentwave's Miraihe is all melodic bleeps underpinned by the hiss of a drum machine, repetitious and beautiful, especially when the synth strings fade in.

The final track is A Juno by D York, twelve minutes of shimmering synths, waves of drone and padding synth sounds, music that is as much about feeling as chords and notes. It is sublime. There's another mix of it, A Juno (The Gloaming Mix) here at a name your own price offer. 

The album We Care Because You Do by The ÁST Project is at Bandcamp, available as download or on CD.  At The ÁST Project's Bandcamp page there is also a poem by Magnús Sigurðsson...

Hugarfljótið
hefur skolað mér
á þurrt.

Úr kallfæri.

Undir nýjum
himni.

Og ég sái

í nýjan
akur.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A flood of thoughts
has washed me
ashore.

Out of earshot.

Beneath a new
sky.

And now I plant

in an untouched
field.

~~~

Vatnaskil (Watershed) by Magnús Sigurðsson,
from the book "Tími kaldra mána" (Cold Moons), Uppheimar, 2013.