(((O))) : Windy & Carl with Optigan Conservatory – Windy & Carl Meet Optigan Conservatory

If there ever was a name ambient/drone artists fans hold dear to their hearts, then it would be long-standing duo that goes under the name of Windy & Carl. The reasons for that is that the ambient/drone musical sphere has rarely had a band/artist (in this case a duo) that tries to make distinct connections to the natural world while investing a hefty dose of emotional content along the way.

Not with an official release since 2020 (Allegiance & Conviction), here the duo combine with another duo that go under the name of Optigan Conservatory, making the title of this collaborative album Windy & Carl Meet The Optigan Conservatory a bit of a misnomer – the four musicians have been longtime friends. At the same time, ‘the meet’ was a somewhat prolonged affair as the two duo combination has been working on this project since 2024.

And yet again, it is another so intricately constructed affair of detailed droning, ambient sounds that sound at the same time both natural and organic, as all those involved seem to have intended, sounding as if they came out of one improvisational take, rather than being created out of piecing different single elements together. It is all shadows and light exchanging places, with shadows seemingly taking up the larger part of the scheme. Maybe just reflecting the times we currently live in.