Vidna Obmana

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 2003-2007
Act I used guitar pieces from Dreams in Exile, Act II used Bill Fox's saxophone recordings, Act III worked from the foundation of Kenneth Kirschner's piano works, and this last installment utilizes the voice of Steven Wilson ( No-Man, Porcupine Tree, and the artist behind Bass Communion). Even those who are thinking "I don't like voice with my ambient music" will really love this. It's one of the most unusual and yet relevant recordings ever released by Hypnos, in which a very recognizable sound, the human voice, is progressively transformed from the familiar, into stranger and more "ambient" atmospheres. It's captivating & beautiful. 2007. The fourth and final installment in vidnaObmana's ambitious "Opera For Four Fusion Works" project. Each "act" of this project involves vidnaObmana's reworking and recycling audio sources from different collaborators.
The first one was by Vidna Obmana himself, and on the second he transformed the saxophone sounds. For the third act Vidna Obmana treats the piano sounds, played by Kenneth Kirschner, who is perhaps best known for similar collaborations with Taylor Deupree. The piano playing of Kirschner is quiet, just a few notes every once in a while, and the recordings he makes are usually finely treated with small clicks and hiss. This is excellent music for Vidna Obmana to expand his ambient tapestries on. Vidna Obmana adds guitar and synthesizers, after which he locks the music into his chamber of sound effects, looping all the sounds, making small shifting changes while certain elements keep returning ad infinitum. The piano sounds by Kirschner remain audible throughout this work, it doesn't seem that they are treated to such an extent. In the warm ambient bath created by Vidna Obmana they find a good home. Soberly orchestrated, the dedication to Morton Feldman is no surprise (although perhaps many more notes are played here than on average Feldman composition). Vidna Obmana doesn't necessarily add something new to ambient, but his music still belongs to the best the genre has to offer."

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 2004
Selected, sequenced and remastered at the Serenity Studio, Belgium in February 2004.
Photography, 2000.
Track 1 previously unreleased, from "Legacy" studio sessions (2003/2004).
Track 2 from "Untitled" cassette (Ladd-Frith, 1987).
Track 3 previously unreleased, from "Autobiography Of A Crackhead" studio sessions (1995/1996).
Track 4 from "Hope And Die" cassette (V, 1984/1985).
Track 5 from "Crossing The Trail" studio sessions & previously issued on "1654 The Cave II" compilation CD (Hands, 1998).
Track 6 from "Untitled" cassette (Ladd-Frith, 1986).
Track 7 previously unreleased, from "Spore" studio sessions (2001/2002).
Track 8 recorded live at Diogenes, Nijmegen, 1991.
Track 9 from "Bleeding Wounds / Only Fear Will Survive" cassette (Ladd-Frith, 1985).
Track 10 from "Experience Artaud" cassette (self-released) & "Ecstasy By Current II" compilation LP (Schizophonia, 1988).
Track 11 previously unreleased, from "Tremor" studio sessions (1999/2001).
Track 12 from "Landscape In Obscurity" cassette (SSA, 1989).

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 1998
This is a collaboration with Steve Roach and Jeff Pearce.
The most amazing thing about this beautiful work of art is that minimal tribal components are woven into a constantly evolving cascade of synth-orchestral textures and natural sounds (no, not the flute over waterfall routine!) to draw a listener into a meditative yet fully aware state of relaxation and focused concentration. Whereas much of Dirk's (Vidna's) vast volume of work is based on loops and drones, Crossing the Trail singularly succeeds in elevating the slow/barely perceivably structured pieces that flow with emotion and remain in memory despite a dearth of melody. This CD is a landmark of depth, darkness and light that is perfect for studying, relaxing or dissecting. I have many of Vidna Obmana's CDs and, though I enjoy them all, this work remains my favorite, an expansive yet intimate, cold yet enveloping, majestic yet delicate soundscape that raises the bar for what is possible from this sort of ambient music. I needn't comment on the pieces separately because the entire CD is one seamless whole, incapable of being wrenched apart. Every thing I listen to in this genre gets rated according to the perfection of Crossing the Trail.

Artist: Vidna Obmana & Capriolo Trifoglio & Diego Borotti
P: 1998
Landscape in Obscurity, a long, exploratory driftscape, is his first release on Hypnos. Integrating spacious and atmospheric performances on flute and saxophone (by Italy's Capriolo Trifoglio and Diego Borotti) with the familiar sonic clouds of his own electronic and acoustic instrument mix, Belgium's Vidna Obmana takes the listener on a journey of almost 70 minutes of luminous, airy ambience.
Smooth, subtle and unobtrusive, yet at the same time sonically complex and illuminating, this CD works fantastically on "repeat" mode for hours on end. Wonderful for meditation or as a background for sleep or creative work, this is one of Vidna Obmana's most minimal and truly "ambient" pieces in recent years.

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 2004
Ambient with E-Bow in the traditional Roach longform style. Very long spaces with some industrial rhythms from time to time.

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 1994
Lovers of ambient music will find two hours of solid delight in this two-disc collection of early material (1988-89) from Belgium's Dirk Serries (a.k.a. Vidna Obmana). The first disc, Monument of Empty Colours, done in collaboration with Puerto Rican experimental artist PBK, is the grittier of the two, with a distinctly postindustrial rumbling making up the low end of most of the otherwise relaxing, synth-loop-driven compositions. Gathering in Frozen Beauty, the other disc in this lavishly packaged set, is brighter and a bit more serene. It's Obmana on his own this time, and it's the kind of work that would presage the smooth, calming ambiance so skillfully executed on his early-'90s material (captured superbly on the Trilogy box set). According to Obmana, this music was meant to be played at low volume, presumably in the background. Not to deny the artist's intent, but you might find that headphone listening really captures the stark beauty of these introspective soundscapes.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 1994
Lovers of ambient music will find two hours of solid delight in this two-disc collection of early material (1988-89) from Belgium's Dirk Serries (a.k.a. Vidna Obmana). The first disc, Monument of Empty Colours, done in collaboration with Puerto Rican experimental artist PBK, is the grittier of the two, with a distinctly postindustrial rumbling making up the low end of most of the otherwise relaxing, synth-loop-driven compositions. Gathering in Frozen Beauty, the other disc in this lavishly packaged set, is brighter and a bit more serene. It's Obmana on his own this time, and it's the kind of work that would presage the smooth, calming ambiance so skillfully executed on his early-'90s material (captured superbly on the Trilogy box set). According to Obmana, this music was meant to be played at low volume, presumably in the background. Not to deny the artist's intent, but you might find that headphone listening really captures the stark beauty of these introspective soundscapes.

Here the last copyof the digipack version!

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 1994
Remastered archival recordings from 1988 - 1991, resequenced by the artist, with an additional 30 minutes of unreleased music from that era added per disc.
Lovers of ambient music will find two hours of solid delight in this two-disc collection of early material (1988-89) from Belgium's Dirk Serries (a.k.a. Vidna Obmana). The first disc, Monument of Empty Colours, done in collaboration with Puerto Rican experimental artist PBK, is the grittier of the two, with a distinctly postindustrial rumbling making up the low end of most of the otherwise relaxing, synth-loop-driven compositions. Gathering in Frozen Beauty, the other disc in this lavishly packaged set, is brighter and a bit more serene. It's Obmana on his own this time, and it's the kind of work that would presage the smooth, calming ambiance so skillfully executed on his early-'90s material (captured superbly on the Trilogy box set). According to Obmana, this music was meant to be played at low volume, presumably in the background. Not to deny the artist's intent, but you might find that headphone listening really captures the stark beauty of these introspective soundscapes.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 1993
With REVEALED BY COMPOSED NATURE I had the opportunity  to explore my first compositional ideas, in the ambient genre, onto record, sequel to my cassette works.
Using only the internal sequencers of my instruments, I could manage  to create, structure and synchronize short loops in compositions.The changing of timbres shows the melody towards the end  of each composition. Unfortunately due to the poor quality of the vinil pressing,  my intention to offer particular moods was lost.
Hopefully, thanks to this reissue on digital format and  the recent remastering  from the original cassette master,  the character and atmosphere of this work is restored.'

Vidna Obmana, November 1993

Artist: Vidna Obmana
P: 2003
Spore is the second disc in Vidna Obmana's (Dirk Serries) trilogy based on Dante's Inferno. This is also quite a departure for Serries. He uses quite an array of eclectic devices to create this experimental -- almost avant-garde -- album. The most interesting sounds are from the overtone flutes and fujaras. Serries has commented that this is not an ambient CD. That is correct. This CD is interesting enough to be the focus of deep listening. It is not innocuous enough to be ignored as background music. It demands attention. The rhythms and atmospheres complement each other smoothly. The experimental sounds are neither dominant nor dominated. This disc is certainly electronic, definitely experimental, and decidedly Vidna Obmana. It will appeal to fans of Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Jorge Reyes, and Ma Ja Le. Swirling, spiralling dissonance-- flutes, e-bows, industrial and tribal rhythms, voice, and-- during some of the best moments-- cool basslines. This CD is truly beautiful and hellish all at once.