Oren Ambarchi

The author of the mix is Oren Ambarchi (b. 1969), an Australian experimentalist, guitar player and percussionist, living and working in his hometown of Sydney. Ambarchi has been performing live since 1986. His works define him as a master craftsman of suspenseful epics that build slowly, cajoling the listener deep into their world through progressive repetition. The emotional tone of Oren’s works ranges from positive and bright, to downright gloomy. Very different though they may be, these pieces all expect the listener to be attentive and patient. Ambarchi is one of the most prolific experimental musicians of our time – his catalog is full of collaborations and solo releases associated with dozens of reputable labels such as Touch, Southern Lord, Editions Mego, Kranky, Tzadik, as well as his own Black Truffle Records. Over the years Ambarchi has performed and recorded with Fennesz, Charlemagne Palestine, Thomas Brinkmann, Keiji Haino, Alvin Lucier, Merzbow, Jim O’Rourke, Keith Rowe, Phill Niblock, John Tilbury, Evan Parker, Fire!, Sunn 0))) and many more. He has also been a member of many diverse musical projects, most notably Phlegm, Gravetemple, Menstruation Sisters, and Nazoranai.

In the records

STM 081 is a spontaneous and kaleidoscopic audio selection, compiled in Winnipeg, Canada in July 2013 and representing a selection of some of Ambarchi’s “Most Played” tracks during his recent Euro travels. The compilation includes 26 skillfully produced records released between 1964 and 1995. These are timeless works by such legendary musicians such as the Pat Metheny Group, Fleetwood Mac, Andy Pratt, Blue Gene Tyranny, Joe Walsh and other talents. The basis of this compilation stands on lively rhythmic textures, constantly flowing expressive singing and a harmonious atmosphere, enriched with skilled guitar playing, subtle percussion and diverse melodies generated using a variety of live instruments. Because of its light, complex motion as well as its melodic and structural variety, this is a selection that fits intimate or private environments very well. The unique emotional expression of Ambarchi’s mix naturally gets the audience prize for bringing people of different generations together. STM 081 is like Eyvind Earle’s work of magic realism, Crimson Sunset, where a monumental figure, surrounded by a majestic and boundless horizon, evokes nostalgic memories of a lifetime that lies somewhere deep in the unconscious. The strangely captivating painting is similar to Ambarchi’s selection in that both hide naturalness, playfulness and a promise of mystery.