If you're coming to ELLIS ISLAND SOUND having only previously encountered Peter Astor in Creation label stalwarts THE LOFT and THE WEATHER PROPHETS, then you may be in for some serious perception realignment.
If, however, you've been following Astor's stealthy progress with sonic partner David Sheppard in their more overtly "song" based guise as THE WISDOM OF HARRY, then you'll know that he's more than adept with loops, textures and atmospheres these days.
Indeed, to this reviewer, "Ellis Island Sound" recalls some of the intriguing instrumental passages from TWOH'S excellent debut, "The Stars Of Super 8". In fact, the similarities don't end there either, as - like "...Super 8" - "Ellis Island Sound" is comprised of tracks/remixes doled out to various labels/projects over the past five years.
However, if that suggests this is a scrappy, badly-tooled effort at cobbling together a cohesive whole, then think again, for "Ellis Island Sound" flows seamlessly and overall sounds far more substantial than many such, er, ambient-based projects.
Certainly, ELLIS ISLAND SOUND possess both an invigorating knack for sculpting fascinating soundscapes and also the ability to re-shape excellent existing material. Both "Cyanide(Beach Detective Mix)" and "Ocean Spray(Ellis Island Sound Remix)" are finely-honed cases in point. Taking "Cyanide" first, Astor and Sheppard marry floaty ethereality to the REGULAR FRIES' original stoned, loping funk and come out streets ahead. The MANICS' "Ocean Spray", meantime, is subjected to a radical overhaul, with breakbeats, looped acoustics and an expansive keyboard wash replacing James Dean Bradfield's anguished vocal.
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Astor and Sheppard are obviously keen to pursue ideas any way the wind blows, though, and this open-mindedness ensures "Ellis Island Sound" retains your interest throughout. Sometimes, like on "Ranch Stuff", the nagging, unhurried influence of, say, TORTOISE shines through, while the dramatic intro, tumbling piano and distant guitar twangs of "Half Nelson" throws JOHN BARRY into sharp, post-modernist relief.
Of course, it would be easy to file "Ellis Island Sound" conveniently away under either "filmic" or "cinematic," and, yes, such labels do ring true to a degree, yet they only tell a portion of the story, as ELLIS ISLAND SOUND'S nicely-skewed sonic worldview also allows tracks like "Olympic 2020" and the opening "Republica Evescarra" to draw water from wells as disparately marked as 'Chicago Axis' and 'Krautrock'. Indeed, Sheppard and Astor's shared interest in the likes of ambient forerunners like CLUSTER is seldom bubbling far from the surface either.
"Ellis Island Sound" is a satisfying, coherent opening gambit from an increasingly fearless duo who are quick to prove that a predominance of atmosphere, groove and ambience don't necessarily sacrifice either tune or emotion, whatever flag you happen to be flying.
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