Aidan Baker – Already Drowning

Those coming to Already Drowning via an interest in Aidan Baker’s work with ambient drone duo Nadja be warned: here be an altogether gentler creature, with only the slightest notes of distortion and discord occasionally wading in. Billed as a “a song cycle inspired by various myths and folklore about female water spirits,” Baker’s atmospheric slowcore opus is insidiously immersive.

An international cast of collaborators contribute vocals (and on occasion, translations into French and German) to compositions that are sometimes straightforwardly beautiful (for instance, the string-led sweep of 30 Days/30 Nights), while others are challengingly veiled (e.g. the insectoid, free-jazz cymbal ripples of Mélusine), but always hauntingly evocative – provided its approached with the right level of patience. Otherwise, much of Baker’s hard work will be for nought, Already Drowning is too carefully measured to impose itself on errant attentions, but liberally rewarding for those that commit time to its chilly virtues. [Chris Buckle]