Here’s yet another excellent review of the Wes Willenbring album, “Somewhere Someone Else” in the very fine music zine, The Silent Ballet.

Dilatazione - “Ivano Menchetti”
Dilatazione - “Ivano Menchetti”
Live at Sinister Noise, Roma, 2/24/2007

Excerpt - “Hailing from Germany, Sankt Otten does a slightly grungy brand of jazzy, electronic soundtrack music that wouldn’t be out of place in the worlds of , Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone. String sounds are effective although understated, and the electric guitar lines have a suitably cinematic twang that evoke a wide range of images: sleazy motels, baking desert vistas, doomed French love affairs. These twelve instrumentals are retro of sorts but Otten is cleverer than someone merely quoting the past. His brittle and sometimes thundering drum loops are very much of the digital age, as are the subtle bleeps and lo-fi synthetics. There’s also a bristling tension just below the surface that seems ready to explode but never quite does. Wir Koennen Ja Freunde Bleiben is imaginary movie music for the mind, an often striking if uneasy listen.”

Ambient Music Guide

Excerpt - “Somewhere Someone Else is the latest release from Hidden Shoal Recordings, as well as the debut album from the U.S. based Wes Willenbring. Willenbring is another fine example of the label’s rise in the ambient electronica field, as they continually showcase new, innovative artists to the masses…As the album progresses, more sounds are introduced to the formula; echoing melodies of string-like guitars, a trembling piano part, smooth subtle bass, and other components all add up during the length of Somewhere Someone Else to produce an intoxicating atmosphere…Considering this is his first release, it is surprising how mature and well-crafted this album is. Somewhere Someone Else is a definite success, and Wes Willenbring is a name we’ll be hearing much about in the future.”

The Silent Ballet