Ambient/Electronica Fan? Check out Balligomingo
Dec0910:46 AM
Filed in: Featured Artist
MP3: Balligomingo - Over You
I’ve recently starting doing a little bit of work for a group called Balligomingo. Check out the track above, if you’re into the smooth electronica influenced sounds of Delerium, Deep Forest, Sacred Spirit, or even Moby, this is definitely something that will be right up your alley.
If sound had a travel & tourism department, producers Garrett Schwarz & Vic Levak would be at the helm. In their follow up album to ‘Beneath the Surface’ (BMG/Windham Hill) they’ve recruited Jody Quine, guest vocalist for ‘Purify’, as a full time member, and have created yet another destination for music. This dynamic trio draws upon the unique skills of each member to deliver a mesmerizing sonic experience that is as vastly different from their first album, as it is any other group in their ‘lifestyle’ genre.
The second album from Balligomingo, ‘Under an Endless Sky’, delivers a fresh sound for this genre, breaking away from the pack with sultry acoustic guitar and gripping vocals. UAES deviates from the typical world production and delivers a fresh & compelling journey. The CD is a roller coaster of emotion, taking you slowly in one direction only to catapult you into another. Check out the hit ‘I Just Tell Myself’ and the diversity of ‘Letting Go’. Under An Endless Sky delivers a unique sonic experience and warrants its own space on the music map.
Balligomingo’s intention on Under An Endless Sky was to create a new musical experience by layering their ambient vibe with organic instrumentation & seductive female vocals. The sound is still Balligomingo, but more so. “We avoided using synths and drum loops where possible while working mainly with live instrumentation and dramatic effects to create a tranquil ambience” says Schwarz. “Though I enjoyed our first album, we weren’t as unique as we could have been and we’ve always had a serious urge to head off into our own direction” he adds. “To us – it’s about creating a journey that hasn’t been traveled before. On our debut, we all just met and were more formal in writing together. On this album, we worked individually on pieces from our own home towns in Canada and the US and sent them to each other via the web. We took our time, and the process was much more laid back. When writing together, (long distance with the use of a phone and the internet) we allowed each writer to express themselves without pressure or opinions, developing a more fluid creative environment resulting in a distinct vibe that truly relies on each member’s skill.”
To achieve their musical vision, the trio recruited Rebecca Ramone as a guest vocalist. “We found that a few of the vocal melodies on Under An Endless Sky have a folk element to them which Rebecca’s voice caters well to” says Levak. Rebecca’s vocals mix the blues with soul, which has garnered her the label ‘Canada's Female Ray Lamontagne’, along with comparisons to blues queens Susan Tedeschi and Bonnie Rait.
Whether you’re into pop, new age, ambient, or even folk music – ‘Under an Endless Sky’ brings it all, taking ambient music in a new direction. It’s a novel musical masterpiece and one of the only ambient albums that I’ve ever had the urge to crank!
