Plutonic Rainbows

Plutonic Rainbows

Aurora Terminalis

January 10, 2025

A decade is a long pause… how the world has changed since…

There's a shock in the opening moments of 'Aurora Terminalis', when we're blasted with saturated, reverb-soused synth arpeggios - the sort of cloud-punching neo-cosmic gear you'd expect to find on the tail end of a Caterina Barbieri LP. But in a matter of minutes, old friends Basinski and Chartier isolate the decaying notes and extend them into melancholy, echoing whines that move slower than a Scandinavian sunrise. Going by the title alone, this one's a sequel to the duo's beloved second album, 2013's 'Aurora Liminalis', but there are few aesthetic similarities. Where that record sounded like tracers against a night sky, all gaseous, barely active textures and ASMR churr, this new LP has a mistier, more wistful presence that feels sober and humanistic. The illusory elements that surround the gentle pads are particularly striking: faint, processed insect sounds (the murmur of crickets, the distant croak of frogs) are formed into frothing waves that barely crack through the netting ferric hiss that's draped across the entire recording. And it's these cryptic asides that help focus our attention on the movement, as Basinski and Chartier animate their elegiac soundscape with fluttering delays that, in time, envelope the track completely.

And the second half of 'Aurora Terminalis' is significantly shifted. Here, the sublime harmonies are submerged underneath tottering, blanched rattles that loom in the half-light. It's Chartier's expertise that's placed under the microscope now, with almost undetectable high-frequency microsounds that dance gracefully with Basinski's omnipresent saturations. More formally structured than their previous releases, but packed with so much fine detail that you'll need repeat listens to illuminate all the filigree cracks, this is advanced minimalism from two of the scene's towering figures.

Frédéric Malle The Moon

January 08, 2025

The Moon by Julien Rasquinet has been generating significant buzz within the fragrance community for the past few years. It's part of Frédéric Malle's desert gems collection, which certainly piqued my curiosity. While I'm generally wary of overly hyped perfumes, the consistent praise for this particular scent made me wonder if it might actually live up to the expectations. I've decided to proceed cautiously, though, and start with a small 2ml sample before making any commitments. I'm eager to see if it truly resonates with me or if it falls short of the considerable hype.

In the Middle East, the pace of life is marked by the moon. Veiled, unveiled: its clear halo signals the beginning and end of all festivities. The Arabic language also calls on the moon to speak of love. There's no sweeter, more subtle way to declare your love, to talk about the beauty of your beloved and to confess your eternal devotion. A sumptuous, warm and refined blend of rose, oud and incense, The Moon can still bring a surprise — a profusion of blackberry and redcurrant. The magic of these red berries, with their soft and colourful fragrances, evokes the fruity scents of hookahs and the sweetness of eastern nights.

Frédéric Malle's description is richly evocative, bordering on the excessive. It romanticises Middle Eastern culture and the moon's symbolism, while emphasising the luxurious and exotic aspects of the scent.

Heather Kozar

January 08, 2025

  • Layer Photo Filter — Warming Filter (85)

  • Density 25, Multiply, Opacity 50%

  • Command I (invert), Default Brush

An Easy Miss

January 07, 2025

Fendi La Baguette is hugely disappointing. Although it may be a lovely scent, it’s light and airy, disappearing in about two hours — which is inexcusable at this price range. This fragrance is an easy pass: it provides no projection and feels weak and fleeting.

Wendy Carlos - Beauty in the Beast

January 07, 2025

Released in 1986, this is an extremely rare animal. It is as bizarre-sounding as it is old. Starting off like some menacing science fiction movie, it moves through sound corridors of time and space that you might have wished remained closed. The title song is a thing of beauty for sure, while still tinged with a bit of the beast, as it hints at a psychotic circus of sounds. Strange but still soothing. The epic third track brings it all together and makes the album whole. Bells and drums are prominent here in the long, drawn-out musical scenery that ends the first side.

While the second side is not up to the greatness of the first, it is not for lack of trying. It is chock-full of strange sounds. Only the bells and flutes that come and go seem familiar. You may feel like you are losing your mind. But don't worry, by the time you are in the middle of the last song, your mind will belong to you again and all will be as it was. All except for your ears, of course. Like a flood rerouting a river bed, that sound you heard may forever be ingrained in your ears' memory channels. Like it or not, it may be a sound you won't forget.

Don't say I didn't warn you.