Bill Kouligas' PAN imprint pulls out all stops for this glossy collection of tracks pushing the limits of what’s generally considered ‘ambient’, enlisting the likes of label regulars Yves Tumor, Jeff Witscher (Rene Hell), M.E.S.H., ADR (of Gatekeeper), Pan Daijing as well as James K and Kouligas himself (and many more). 'Mono no aware': a Japanese term for "the pathos of things", "an empathy toward things", "a sensitivity to ephemera,” or the awareness of impermanence… maybe we’re reaching, but unlike traditional ambient music, you really feel the beginning and ending of these tracks and lament their passing like the turning and dropping of autumn leaves. We can’t in good faith call it ‘ambient’ because it demands your full attention: Kareem Lotfy’s vaporous distillation of a certain slice of French trap, Yves Tumor’s heart-wrenching “Limerence,” Malibu’s intensely intimate ballad “Held,” and Helm’s cosmic steel mill “Eliminator” are some of the most arresting electronic music to surface in recent memory - and that’s just the first side!! Not to mention the gorgeous sleeve art; all around one of the best releases of 2017 for sure. Even Kanye couldn’t keep his hands off it. 2022 repress on orange colored vinyl, highly recommended.

• orange colored double vinyl pressing
• embossed sleeve
• limited edition
• original release year: 2017
• music label: PAN 2022

reviewed by tom violence 11/2018