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.
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a bit of classical ideas at times. 1993 #10 was originally made in 1993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 careful
