Prolific composer, Derrick Stembridge delights our ears once again with his latest release. We already knew him through his other projects (Drifting in Silence and Unknown Divine), but this time, Long The Night invites us to a sonic journey on the placid waters of dark ambient. Released on May 3, 2021, Illusion, Long The Night’s debut album, is available in both digital and compact disc formats.
Master of ambient music, Derrick Stembridge brings us a new palette of tracks whose sounds are now familiar to us. Composed of stratospheric drones as well as vocals and various field recordings, Illusion is a vast cosmic tableau of shifting, nebulous harmonic textures. Beyond the meditative state in which the album immerses us, the experience of listening to this music is almost metaphysical. Left to itself in the heart of this celestial bath, the conscience drifts, between the spirituality and the infinity of the auditory borders opened by the ten titles of the album.
A structure as vaporous as the sonorities employed seems to be emerging from this work. Luminous and ethereal, “Divided Souls” begins the album which then unfolds in nuances. “Through Blind Eyes” is situated between light and shadow. After this title, “Forgotten Time” makes us travel within a little darker shades. Finally, “Illusion” concludes the album with a return of the light. One will note the presence of a liturgy that emerges from the mass of drones in “Untold Mind” and “Forgotten Time” as well as the archaic sounds that color “The Myth Of Now,” elements that contribute to the strength of Illusion.
With Illusion, Derrick Stembridge brings us one more time an album which bets on the quality and the richness of its ambiences. It is an ideal work for those who aspire to a calm and contemplative auditory experience.
