Pastoral Blend – N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen (2025, Music From Memory): fusing ambient, pedal steel & electronic textures
#nkramer #vinyl #indiemusic
The best new album showcases the pulsating synthesis of N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen’s unique talents: Pastoral Blend. Launched in 2025 through the dynamic platform of Music From Memory, Pastoral Blend is the riveting outcome of blending contemporary production skills, improvisation, manipulation, and the soulful strumming of the pedal steel guitar.
Pastoral Blend’s production spanned from August 2023 to March 2024 in the eclectic city of Berlin. The dynamic duo, Kramer and Bang Olsen, incorporating an innovative creative process, which echoes the savvy imprints of Kramer’s previous project, Habitat with J. Foerster under the banner of Leaving Records. The hallmark of this creativity was the careful capturing of different phrases and patterns emanating from the pedal steel guitar. Reshaping, reversing and layering them in multiple dimensions, forming the foundation of the track. This track was then subjected to further flourishing arrangements resulting in a fluid musical picture, which feels organically lifelike.
The true beauty of Pastoral Blend lies in its fusion of contrasting tones, themes and technologies. Portraying a masterful blend of the organic feel of Americana instruments with the futuristic and slightly fractured processing style akin to the early 2000s Max/MSP and prolific artists like Fennesz and Alva Noto. The resulting palette is one that fluctuates between analogue warmth and digital distortion, a sweet-spot that the duo adeptly maintains with nonchalant ease, much like the top artists as Thom Yorke and Aphex Twin.
Titles within the album such as ‘Harvest\’, ‘Agrarian Dawn’, ‘Grasslands’, and ‘Weathered’, function as a linguistic roadmap weaving through landscapes, invoking memories, and revisiting tradition. This distinct language subtly points the listener towards the fundamental and universally recognized music structures camouflaged beneath the lush sonic layers. These hidden elements are the nucleus of Pastoral Blend, mirroring the techniques of artists such as Brian Eno and Jon Hopkins.
Therefore, Pastoral Blend crafted by the ingenious pairing of N Kramer and Magnus Bang Olsen is an exquisite sensory exploration. Resonating with inspiration drawn from a broad spectrum consisting of strummed melodies, delicately woven textures, and the romance of tradition. This intricate tapestry of sounds is pushed towards the future by the assured hand of digital processing, creating an immersive musical landscape ready for exploration.
Learn more about N Kramer