PLEASE NOTE - THIS 2496 VERSION IS NOW REDUNDANT. THE UNCUT FULL LENGTH TRACK HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE CD VERSION HERE ON BANDCAMP. YOU WILL FIND THESE FILES AT THE END OF THAT VERSION. THANK YOU!


This is the full resolution 24 bit 96 kHz stereo master, with all of the pieces flowing together as on the original. Please look at the CUE list in the bonus items for timing between the sections (you can drop this CUE file into a player like VLC for full access to the song breakpoints). Bandcamp does not make it easy to link two download options to the same physical CD "merch" item, so this download does not offer a CD purchase to accompany it. If you wish to buy the physical CD along with this full resolution download, you can purchase the CD resolution version of this title along with the physical CD, then message Robert directly to receive a download code for the 2496 resolution version. He will be happy to provide the code upon receipt of the order. He can also sign the CD upon request.

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On his 2006 release Electric Ladder, Robert Rich finds a new voice for the vibrant interlocking melodies that characterize his works such as Filaments, Numena, Geometry and Gaudí. With its seamless blend of analog modular synthesizers and acoustic tonalities, Electric Ladder weaves a hypnotic spell - lush, ecstatic and seductive; while its shimmering geometric lines grow more sharply etched with the clarity of justly tuned instruments and the intelligence that pervades Rich's compositional vocabulary.



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I marvel at how some of the pioneers of the ambient genre continue to excite and astound with unique new musical directions. Robert Rich‚s latest release Electric Ladder is no exception. Rich defies easy categorization, shifting from dark formless ambience to highly structured pieces with ease, deftly combining organic and synthetic elements into a unified whole. The title track is a restless brooding piece that features rapidly cycling electronic loops, soaring guitars or a synth equivalent, and a cool bass line that vibrates like a guitar string strung too loosely. "Shadowline" has a brisk yet gentle percolating sequence that reminds me of Peter Gabriel's classic „San Jacinto‰ from his Security CD. The timbre is different but the flow is very similar. Though "Poppy Fields" also has a rhythmic looping to it, it ambles along at a more relaxed pace. "Sky Tunnel" starts with a warbly synthetic repeating pattern. Repetition is used successfully throughout Electric Ladder, creating trance-inducing energy. The surprising presence of soprano sax on "Sky Tunnel" makes me think more along the lines of Phillip Glass or Steve Reich. Rich has compared the compositional structure of the music on Electric Ladder to that of Geometry, and "Concentric" certainly evokes a similar feel, with music that is carefully put together but always on the move. And of course, there's Rich's trademark quirkiness, shimmer and glurp. Flutes dominate the dark soundscapes of "Aquifer" the quietest and most freeform track, although "Never Alone" is a close cousin to close out the disc, choosing soft guitar wails as opposed to flutes to carry us to the end.

© 2006 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space