With a combination of both sinister drones and shimmering textures, Markus Guentner’s “Empire” is meant to draw on the ebb-and-flow relationship between mankind and the galaxies.
by Dan Walters 5/31/2018
Ambient musician Markus Guentner has been called the “inventor of pop ambient.” Fond of telling stories through his music, Guentner’s last album Theia sought to musically portray the creation of the galaxies. Guentner hopes that his new album Empire will pick up right where Theia’s story left off. With a combination of both sinister drones and shimmering textures, Empire is meant to draw on the ebb-and-flow relationship between mankind and the galaxies.
In this excerpt of “Refraction” off of Empire, Guentner collaborates with cellist Julia Kent. As the synth drones and wanders in mystery, Kent’s minimalist legatos on the cello add a rich layer of beautiful melancholy. The accompanying visuals entrance you in Guentner’s cosmic world of mystery. It sets you somewhat at ease, yet with an almost dichotomous sense of disquiet. The moon ebbs and flows as it walks the line between light and darkness, the known and the unknown.
Empire, including the full-length version of “Refraction,” will be available in vinyl and digital formats on June 11th, 2018.