AmbiEntrance - Review by David Opdyke
11/27/99

ETHER DOME
Richard Bone

        Richard Bone's visit to an early medical site (where modern anesthesia was experimentally developed) "conjured up images of souls drifting in and out of consciousness". With this vision, he created his own Ether Dome to capture the ephemeral, transportive state of slipping away from reality. The operation was a success...

        Dr. Bone administers his recommended dosage (11 tracks) of space music, that is inner space music, the songs of the mind and soul as they slip into an ether-induced state of weightlessness (and beatlessness). Lush choral "ahhh"s are swept by synthetic breezes and painted with slow, diffused notes as The Induction of Gilbert Abbott sets the tone for this dreamy collection. With perhaps a slight hint of melancholia, Unawakened (3:05) floats on a shifting sea of soft tonal activity and synth string mists. The muffled e-piano sounds of Calenture are somewhat reminiscent of Bone's "loungier" works (as found on Coxa or Electropica) as transformed through the anesthetizing filter of ether, slowed down and softened. Strangely distorted voices announce the prescence of The Letheon Men; between their bubbly murmers, strands of synthflow morph and swell with slow-motion grace, to be joined by hushed piano notes. The Peripheral Nerve extends through a region of ethereal keyboarding, sweet shimmers and a buzzy current of energy. The Incubus Wave's breathy gusts of synth meld with flowing currents, rolling tones and odd, organic (sorta goose-like, actually) ripples. Warmly wafting streams wash placidly atop the Plateau to Level 30 (6:15), while windy undertones blow beneath; soon a meditiative sequence of pillowy notes is applied. Ebbing and flowing, the sounds of Society X emit from a steamy core, spiraling outward with brassy resonance. As trilling whisps flitter skyward, The Shadowing Wall pulses with rippling, shifting soundwaves and meandering notes.

        Richard Bone's tour of the Ether Dome brings back the rewarding mental souvenir of 55-minutes of free-floating sounds which are both ambient and musical. You don't have to be semi-conscious to enjoy these 8.4-rated sessions of serenity. We're very happy that Richard agreed to be our exclusive AmbiEntrance interviewee this month.