Over the past few weeks, our most active record reviewers have had the task of choosing their 5 favorite recordings of 2023, and here they are. This selection is unique and quite different of all you can find on the web or through traditional medias.
Laurel Anne Chartow, aka Laurel Halo, takes a leap into the void with this album, and thankfully, she lands with a bang. It’s an assembly of ten completely enveloping ambient tracks, fashioned from orchestral elements and electronic shenanigans. Halo, a multi-instrumentalist, teams up with several guests to create something that sounds as if it came from the depths of the sea. Atlas is a mystifying cloud of atmosphere, a wondrous, magical ocean that summons us to its revelatory depths. Waves and currents of ambient, minimalism, jazz and classical music are combined. The result is a weightless composition of delicate, ravishing beauty. As I listen, my mind is always drawn to the image of a jellyfish: the peace, the extraterrestrial aspect, the undulatory movement. Atlas is a composition that breathes a similar rhythm. An opaque, enveloping sound, but detailed down to the minutest detail. It’s an astonishing layer that adapts to the depth of our listening. Dive in!
For the complete list, click here!
