Tides

Uwe Zahn is an absolute dark horse in this world and Tides is a real keeper. I have no idea how this record was made but it sounds like a sort of odd live band recorded and then recreated blind on a machine. It’s got some space in it—a rare thing in IDM—and a real stately pace. Harpsichords, guitars, bells, sound effects, electric piano, voice samples, and drum machines combine to make something that could slide easily into trip hop or ambient, and maybe a few other genres. As relaxed as this world gets, but carefully and thoughtfully edited into shape. A gem from 2000. It’s even sort of a guitar album, in some ways.