Drifting, droning, and peppered with interesting and intriguing textures and tones, Astral Departures brings the dreaming, out-of-body world into an audiovisual context. Shifting between darkness and light, and with unexpected flourishes, this realization of the journey one's mind and soul takes upon slumber swirls around the listener's ears as the nine tracks meld into a cohesive whole. Nadia's DJ skills surface as well, and catchy beats are interspersed among the sweeping ambient bringing many more layers to an already intriguing mix. Matching the softness and overall tone of the album, these more lively passages fit in perfectly and show how well she is able to bridge the two worlds, and helps to flesh out the unfolding, dreamlike state. In addition to bringing together these different sounds and moods, Astral Departures brings forth a collision of time and perception - while some pieces seem ancient and forever, others bring a fresh, near-futuristic feel. These differing modes work together to add an unspoken layer, adding emotion through perceived sound without the addition of extra layers or notes. This sort of psychoacoustics is not only very effective, but it is keeping in theme with the dreamlike, mental creation bent of the album's theme.

 

While Perpetual Bridge hasn't been an official project for very long, Nadia Peter has been honing her craft through years of experimentation. With her first full-length, Astral Departures, set to drop on digital and vinyl at the end of the month, Nadia shows she's well-versed and well-skilled in both ambient and electronic music. The nine tracks that form a seamless whole are a perfect full-length introduction of Perpetual Bridge to the world, and a great indicator of engaging and beautiful things to come. For more info