Experimental producer Larry Kucharz comes back with a vengence with his deep journey into Ambient music, does this make the grade?

Larry Kucharz – Ambient Red Washes

Larry Kucharz brings us his latest CD, which is entitled “Ambient Red Washes”, it is the sister CD to “Ambient Blue Washes”, which was created a year earlier . You have read my reviews of his other CDs that Kucharz has done, two were techno and one was a mixed bag of genres in a CD but this is completely different from what you normally would expect from Kucharz. In the past, Kucharz has used a more minimalistic Detroit techno sound in his compositions but this is a strictly ambient album. Ambient music seems to be coming back in vogue these days, with more people searching for stuff to relax to and names like Biosphere, Pete Namlook, and others are becoming household names again.

Tracklist

1.Red Wash #2
2.Red Wash #4
3.1993 #10
4.Red Wash #3
5.1993 #2
6.Red Wash #1
7.1993 #4
8.Red Wash #5
9.Red Wash #7
10.Red Wash #6
11.1993#1

Larry Kucharz started out as a classic composer, many years ago and it seems fitting that this album of ambient red washes has such a classical influence. It seems that not many people make ambient music anymore and even less make great albums. This album is a complex work of 7 tracks that were made in 2003 and 4 are tracks from 1993.

What strikes you, when you first listen to the album is the complexity of the first three songs, they are incredibly layered but they are simplistic in a certain way. You start from the very first track and you get an immediate sense of calmness, as you do with all the songs on this album. The first three tracks take you immediately into the ambient world of Larry Kucharz, his experimentalism in the previous albums was a little too crazy but this album hits right on target. It is not as complex as say Biosphere’s ambient creations, this is more simplistic, while still retaining the original vision of the composer. Red Wash #2 gets you right into Kucharz’s world of ambient music and it is almost tear inducing at times and an allaround sonic marvel. Red Wash#2 has that classical feeling at times, and you sense that Kucharz has gone back to his classical roots and used that to create carefully planned ambient works. This is certainly music to take the mind away; into a land of aural soundscapes. What strikes me in Red Wash #2 is how it reminds me of my classical CDs at times but make no mistake, this is not classical, it is ambient that uses a bit of classical ideas at times. 1993 #10 was originally made in 1993 and this is a slower track that reminds me of classical music because of the harmony and togetherness with the music that you feel, when you listen to the track. You cannot tell the difference, which songs were made in 1993 and which songs were made in 2003, except if you use the tracklist as a guide but that’s the great part about the CD, all sounds are unique but they don’t sound dated.

The next four tracks continue the theme of the CD, that I think Kucharz is trying to take the mind on a journey. Red Wash #3 has such a classical feel, weeping strings come in from the background and it gives you this orchestral feel, which I think is nice. People who have produced ambient music in the past have just tried to take the listener to the middle of nowhere, using lots of special effects and their work was so complex that it hurt the album that they were creating at times. The album so far seems to be in harmony, everything seems to fit in rather nicely and nothing seems to take away from anything, it seems like a jigsaw puzzle with the right pieces put in place. The music speaks for itself and tells you “I am a marvel of sound, listen to me” or that was what I think it should say. The music is so beautiful that it should reduce a few people to tears. “1993 #2” is the longest track on the album, clocking in at 12 minutes plus but it simply builds with what feels like classical influences, it reminds me of “Swan Lake” at times because of the build and the fact that Kucharz allows the beautiful tones to embrace you. “Red Wash #1” seems to use different ideas at times and it continues the subtle flow of the album. It is not trying to hit you, it just simply lets the music speak for itself and that is what more artists should be doing, forget being in the limelight, let your music be your voice. I think Mad Mike Banks got it right with Underground Recordings, where it was complete anonymity and they just released records that they wanted and let the music speak for itself. I think the same applies in this case, Kucharz is someone who hates to be in the limelight and he rather not give his creations, complex flowery titles. Let the music speak, it is a lesson that everyone should learn and everybody should apply that philosophy to their music. “1993 #4” continues to push the sonic journey along and it gives you more of a classical feeling that the previous six songs. I think it gives you an idea of what influences that an artist might use to create their tracks, anything and everything.

“Red Wash #5” continues the sonic wonderland, you start to wonder, how long each track took to make and you realize that each track was carefully put together, which I imagine took a while. It is layered with a unique sense of simplicity and it is certainly forward thinking music. I wish more musicians opened their minds and created what they felt they should explore and not just to be content with making the same music with the same sounds. “Red Wash #7” is the shortest track on this album at only two minutes and change, it makes use of what sounds like bells at times and it is short but very effective. “Red Wash #6” is the most classical influenced song of the entire album and it seems to add more orchestral parts and what feels like violins. The classical feel gives the track, an added kick and it has certainly kept me interested, in a day and age, where people get disinterested easily. The final track of the masterpiece is “1993 #1” and this reminds me of the sound of the wind at times and I don’t think it was intentional, I think it was more of an accident that came together. The song ends the masterful journey of aural soundscapes with precision, still all carefully thought out

Conclusion:
This album is absolute brilliance on Kucharz’s part, it uses some classical influences but sticks to a more simple form of ambient music. Some ambient artists make incredibly complex tracks that have so many effects, so many different elements involved that cluttered the tracks but this album is different, it is easy on the ears, a true joy from start to finish, that has just the right amount of elements involved. This album gives you, a unique view of ambient music and this delivers a much needed kick in the rear to a music industry, an industry that is so desperately in need of unique ideas and unique sounds. I think this shows that some artists have decided to not expand on their musical creations and they rather stay in a box of conformity then you have people like Larry Kucharz who think outside the box and show that there are no limits to what you can create, if you have the vision and talent. So yes it does make the grade here, A+ and now class is dismissed.