Hidden Shoal Recordings » Slow Dancing Society Reviews http://music.hiddenshoal.com Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:20:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Antonymes + Slow Dancing Society ‘We Don’t Look Back for Very Long’ – TwiceRemembered http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/antonymes-slow-dancing-society-we-dont-look-back-for-very-long-twiceremembered/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/antonymes-slow-dancing-society-we-dont-look-back-for-very-long-twiceremembered/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:25:26 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=4732 Excerpt: ….It’s the perfect marriage of Sullivan’s 80’s era Ambient meet Hazeldine neo classical minimal ambient. To top it off it’s mastered by Wil Bolton (Hibernate records artists and the owner of the fine “Time Lapse” album) and comes in a limited edition of 100 copies that are letter pressed on 700gm GF Smith board designed by Ian himself. The release is/was a pre-order available from the Hidden Shoal store with 60 copies being there and the remaining 40 going to Norman Records and Stashed Goods. 2011 has been a very productive year for Antonymes, this being the third release on Hidden Shoal (the others being “The Licence to Interpret Dreams” album and the companion piece “Lost in waves of Light”) as well as the release on Time Released Sound and the quality has been there through all the releases. Quite an achievement.”

TwiceRemoved

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/antonymes-slow-dancing-society-we-dont-look-back-for-very-long-twiceremembered/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – A Strange and Isolated Place http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-a-strange-and-isolated-place/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-a-strange-and-isolated-place/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:16:31 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=4222 Ecerpt: “After being introduced to Jumpel and his brilliant album ‘Europa‘ my invasion of the Hidden Shoal back catalogue has stepped up a gear. Turns out Hidden Shoal are one of those record labels that has the ability to fill an entire weekend with blissful headphone listening, and Slow Dancing Society is just one of the many artists that make-up a superb roster of ambient musicians. Washington based artist Drew Sullivan creates a multitude of different approaches to ambient music. You’ll find post-rock inspired pieces awash with layered and reverberant guitars, light and melody, similar to Robin Guthrie and Winterlight and some deep and immersive ambient pieces stretching over 13 minutes, with every track perfecting the art of emotion, be it blissful and euphoric or slightly melancholic.”

A Strange and Isolated Place

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-a-strange-and-isolated-place/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – Sonomu http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-sonomu/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-sonomu/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 14:01:00 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=3760 Excerpt: “Sodium gas lights cause less light pollution but cast an orange pall over the urban spaces they most commonly illuminate. They began to be installed, particulary along highways, in the 1970s. Ultimately, this is album is one great big love letter, as almost each track title bears out. ”The Song in Your Eyes” begins as dreamily as expected, pulsing gently before turning downright seductive with a purred female ”everything is alright, we´re together now”. ”Laura´s Dream” conjures a visual rendition of the album´s title – I see a highway interchange, freshly-paved and cross-hatched with overpasses, and I see two dancers taking possession of it long past midnight, staring into each other´s eyes, wrapped in that eerie amber haze, their shadowplay conveyed by Drew Sullivan´s guitar. This guitar is indeed the centrepiece of Under the Sodium Lights, and the Spokane native handles each note distinctly and confidently, saying only as much as need be said, but saying it with authority, creating depth, closeness and distance. It contrasts starkly and perfectly with the ambient fog in which he wraps it. My only gripe is with the crackling which mars the otherwise sweet and sad closer, ”Love is On the Way”. You´ve got to love the humility of the man, who thanks his fans for ”justifying” a fourth album. And the fourth certainly justifies a fifth.”

Sonomu

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-sonomu/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – Headphone Commute http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-headphone-commute/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-headphone-commute/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 13:47:08 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=3774 Excerpt: “Slow Dancing Society is a solo project of Washington based producer and musician, Drew Sullivan. His contemplative, ambient explorations fling you into the heavens, where you remain suspended by his cerebral skein of shimmering notes. Under The Sodium Lights is Sullivan’s fourth full length album for Hidden Shoal, and is a perfect follow up for his 2008 release, Priest Lake Circa ’88 (see Headphone Commute Review andInterview with Drew Sullivan). As I listen, snow falls gently and surrounds me with its quiet aspect as SDS works its way into my cranium, soothing my frayed nerves and restoring the balance. A long silence demarcates the transition between tracks, and just when you long for the musical dream to continue, it floats back. “The delicate interplay between focused melodic details and blurred washes of sound draws the listener into a hypnotised state, where the waking world and the world of sleep cascade in and out of balance.” This slightly somber but always lovely set of compositions continues to sustain me on these cold, wintry days, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the peace of quiet and ambient music.”

Headphone Commute

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-headphone-commute/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – DOA http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-doa/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-doa/#comments Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:12:51 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=3121 Excerpt: “Sullivan (a.k.a. Slow Dancing Society) uses soft layers of washed-out synth tones and silky, echoing guitar strums to create lush and soothing ambient soundscapes. Depth and texture are added with backward tones, found sounds and hushed bells (and even the occasional whispered vocal) that float gently through the incandescent atmosphere. Other than allowing the artist to conjure up seven titles or to provide the listener with opportunities to shift gears through the various levels of consciousness and hypnotic states the music induces, there is little need for separate tracks, as the vapor trails of one lead into the calming ripples of another. Like the glow of sunlight filtered through the slowly undulating waves of blue crystalline water, Under The Sodium Lights is less an auditory adventure and more a rich and imaginative musical daydream.”

Delusions of Adequacy

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-doa/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – Hypnagogue http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-hypnagogue/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-hypnagogue/#comments Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:18:31 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=3097 Excerpt: “On his latest album, Under the Sodium Lights, Slow Dancing Society (aka Drew Sullivan) comes through nicely once again with his signature mix of processed guitar washes and slow, melancholic melodies. The tracks melt together in your head, but if it’s due to a sameness of sound, then I have to say it’s a pleasing sameness. What works best here is that Sullivan’s straightforward playing has a real crispness to it, a strength and clarity that doesn’t just ease the playing over his reverent, almost church-organ-esque washes–it makes it pop. I also love the sound of Sullivan’s laid-back, country-bred slide guitar work and the shot of unexpected spice it brings to the sound. There’s always a sense of fading sadness to Slow Dancing Society, but it’s a sadness on the verge of getting over whatever it was that set you off all melancholy and brooding in the first place. There’s a sigh of hope under it all. It feels at times like the soundtrack to something we’ve all been through. It’s sitting, thinking, sighing and then deciding to just get on with it, caught in a very enjoyable listen.”

Hypnagogue

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-hypnagogue/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – Secret Music http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-secret-music/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-secret-music/#comments Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:18:07 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=3099 Excerpt: “Last is an artist I’ve come to know recently but like a lot, Slow Dancing Society. His music has that languid, post rock ambient sound I’ve really started to appreciate of late. Very simple, yet very evocative and emotional. The new album, Under The Sodium Lights, is perhaps the best yet. Well done and highly recommended.”

Secret Music

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-secret-music/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society – A Floating World http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-a-floating-world/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-a-floating-world/#comments Mon, 01 Nov 2010 05:55:25 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=2708 Excerpt: “A beautiful ambient show gaze album from the master of Ambient Drew Sullivan. Following up from the well received Priest Lake Circa ‘88,… This is Drew’s best work in my opinion. He takes his time in building mesmerizing crescendos to great effect. The layers of angelic synths and guitar riffs drowned in reverb are hypnotizing to say the least.”

A Floating World

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-a-floating-world/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – AmbientBlog http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-ambientblog/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-ambientblog/#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:21:36 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=2892 Excerpt: “Slow Dancing Society is Washington based musician Drew Sullivan. “Under the Sodium Lights ” is his fourth full album release for the Australian label Hidden Shoal Recordings. Though the music on “Under the Sodium Light” can definitely be “filed under ambient”, it also has a ‘pop music’/'post-rock’ feel that may also appeal to listeners outside the ambient genre. To illustrate that, Sullivan references a long list of influences, including (among others) Brian Eno, Tears For Fears, Pink Floyd, Prince, Spandau Ballet, Sigur Rós, Hammock, Red House Painters and My Morning Jacket. I guess he is referring to ‘production values’ – the way the sound production is approached – more than the musical style, since the music of these artists is sometimes hardly comparable to that on this album. But Hammock comes close indeed. And Sigur Rós. Some tracks (‘By Your Side’, for instance) did remind me of Apollo, the classic album Brian Eno recorded with Daniel Lanois. Though all these comparisions may give an idea about Slow Dancing Society’s music, it’s best to judge the music itself instead of comparing it to others. So forget all references and check out the music as unbiased as possible. Under the Sodium Light proves to stand very well on its own!”

AmbientBlog.net

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-ambientblog/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society – Orange Alert http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-orange-alert/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-orange-alert/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 03:31:03 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=2684 Excerpt: “Drew Sullivan makes some of the most beautiful ambient music available today.”

Orange Alert

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-orange-alert/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society ‘Under the Sodium Lights’ – Pop Headwound http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-pop-headwound/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-pop-headwound/#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:06:56 +0000 Jamie http://music.hiddenshoal.com/?p=2678 Excerpt: “Slow Dancing Society is the work of ambient musician Drew Sullivan, and at this moment I’m sort of lost in the tranquility of ‘…and to the dust we shall return’…  It’s the perfect soundtrack for a fading Sunday evening such as this. And destruction has hardly ever been as beautiful as in this video by Latvian filmmaker Ieva Balode, which is the only thing keeping my eyes open.”

Pop Headwound

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-under-the-sodium-lights-pop-headwound/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Sonic Immersion http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:09:54 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88/ Excerpt: “filled with gentle and warm ambient music and glistening guitars, nicely following in the footsteps of ambient-master Brian Eno. As can be expected, the carefully moulded textural music is given all the time and space to wander, evolve and flow. Presented in eight separate tracks, ranging between 2 and 14 minutes, these calming washes of sound glide gently down the stream, creating a quiet, introspective atmosphere to almost disappear in. I think those who appreciate David Sylvian’s instrumental pieces on Gone To Earth should make sure to pay this album a visit. All in all, I recommend this well-produced, overall immersive soundscape experience”

Sonic Immersion

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Press Play and Record http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-press-play-and-record/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-press-play-and-record/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:23:48 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-press-play-and-record/ Excerpt: “This latest opus is a collection of gentle but occasionally restless instrumental pieces… the eight numbers found here are all wonderfully beautiful pieces. There are a number of epics, like ‘Sun Spots’ and the utterly fantastic ‘The Iridescence of Innocence,’ that will simply melt your brain. Honestly, I put this album on and I’m instantly relaxed. This is a good thing, my friends – especially in stressful times like ours.”

Press Play and Record

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-press-play-and-record/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Leonard’s Lair http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair-2/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair-2/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:17:38 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair-2/ Excerpt: “‘The Red Summer Sun’ is the stunning centrepiece, where the ebb and flow of the minimalist textures is perfectly judged. So it’s another excellent performance from Sullivan. Just as his alias suggests, the music within is unrushed and graceful. Priest Lake Circa ‘88 maintains a hold on the listener throughout its near seventy-minute journey.”

Leonard’s Lair

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair-2/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – The Silent Ballet http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-the-silent-ballet/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-the-silent-ballet/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:13:26 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-the-silent-ballet/ Excerpt: “Slow Dancing Society has a complexity of sound that allows it to stand out from traditionally ambient music… It would be quite difficult to convince someone that Priest Lake Circa ‘88 is not an ambient album, but it has a progression that is often lost; this music has taken a turn away from the conventional ambient genre. It is easy to get dissolved in this album, to let yourself fall into meditation as the music plays… Textures and timbre are executed with great precision… Even the simplest of songs allow complimentary textures to be layered upon each other to create a robust yet spacious sound. The thickest of compositions carry multi-timbral ideas over a wide range of melodies. Guitar is layered upon found sound, effect-laden synths, organs, and other texturally rich instruments. This makes for an album that is an aural delight for the listener. Priest Lake Circa ‘88, while labeled ambient, has its own identity that lets it stand out as a unique album in a sea of homogeneity. Ambient listeners will like this album, while ambient haters would do well to give this album a listen…”

The Silent Ballet

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-the-silent-ballet/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Ondarock http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-ondarock/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-ondarock/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:25:20 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-ondarock/ Excerpt (translated from Italian): “Drew Sullivan combines a post-rock sensibility with a more complex approach, with the goal to create environmental sounds crossed with many different elements and mainly focused upon evanescent guitars, wrapped in feedback and, more often, filtered until they transform into refined drones. So, the different sound shapes tend to vanish, evolving into an environmental liquidity that alternates between underground disquiet and dreamy atmospheres, resulting in great compositions of expressive sobriety.”

Ondarock

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-ondarock/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Headphone Commute http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-headphone-commute/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-headphone-commute/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:50:38 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-headphone-commute/ Excerpt: “Hidden Shoal delivers once again! … With Brian Eno serving as the main influence for Sullivan’s work, I could attempt to classify the music as abstract ambient meeting experimental shoegaze. Or I could just name a few of my favorite artists that come to mind immediately upon my first listen: Stars of the Lid, Hammock, and Bitcrush. If those are the names on your watchlist, then you better rush out to secure a copy of the latest (and all) from Slow Dancing Society.”

Headphone Commute

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-headphone-commute/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Angry Ape http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-angry-ape/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-angry-ape/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:02:35 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-angry-ape/ Excerpt: “It’s been a joy to watch Drew Sullivan’s career unfold as majestically as one of his compositions… Dedicated to the music that shaped him as an individual, Sullivan pays homage to those he loves, incorporating fragments of New Romanticism, Art-Rock and even ’80s Metal within the gorgeous expanses of drifting guitar-based ambience… Rather than imposing sun-bursting melodies upon the listener, they are allowed to breathe, as volume swells provide the dynamic movement and direction throughout… Though headphones should be a pre-requisite for this record, Priest Lake still radiates with melody, colour and texture even when played at its lowest volume. Sullivan delicately balances his love of all things ’80s with the luscious reverbed ambience we’ve become accustomed to, without ever sounding indulgent. Within these eight floating gems, drones sublimate into melody and elegiac clouds form celestial sounds, to compose a rousing soundtrack for nostalgic daydreams.”

Angry Ape 

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-angry-ape/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “Priest Lake Circa ‘88″ – Delusions of Adequacy http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-delusions-of-adequacy/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-delusions-of-adequacy/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:58:31 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-delusions-of-adequacy/ Excerpt: “Sullivan is one of those musicians whose music is heavily influenced by Eno and his music is justly ambient. Throughout many times — depending on the time of the day — I found myself dozing off to its gentle and warm tones. Not because it was boring but because its utter calmness and gentle demeanor were far too prevalent to fight. Other times, especially with the headphones, I found myself catching the small intricacies that Sullivan included… This is slow-moving, slow-growing, reflective music that is meant to be heard alone. And it’s the kind of music you can put on, lay down and simply wash over your thoughts with… One thing is for sure, Sullivan knows how to create lush, varied walls of sounds that are both inviting and engaging… an artist to watch, not just in the ambient field but for music in general.”

Delusions of Adequacy 

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-priest-lake-circa-88-delusions-of-adequacy/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Slow and Steady Winter” – Leonard’s Lair http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:53:16 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair/ Excerpt: “This is music to drift along to; the perfect soundtrack for the onset of the cold season… This is post-rock but not the type which switches between quiet and loud, Sullivan’s instrumentals are always understated but maintain a hold over the listener thanks to their emotional depth… This is a lengthy record but it has so much depth and feeling, it’s almost impossible not to be moved by it.”

Leonard’s Lair

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-leonards-lair/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Slow and Steady Winter” – The Silent Ballet http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-the-silent-ballet/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-the-silent-ballet/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:39:32 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-the-silent-ballet/

Excerpt: “Slow Dancing Society continue the ambience started in their stellar debut The Sound of Lights When Dim… a notable accomplishment. In a genre convoluted with artists, it is difficult to make a name for oneself and with just two albums Sullivan has done just that.”

The Silent Ballet

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-the-silent-ballet/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Slow and Steady Winter” – Time Off http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-time-off/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-time-off/#comments Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:53:18 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-time-off/ Excerpt: “The mesmerising ambience of Slow Dancing Society is the work of one man, Washington-based Drew Sullivan. The Slow Steady Winter is an exquisite journey of dark, cold, and occasionally isolating and unsettling soundscapes. The album begins with the epic ‘The Early Stages of Decline’, more than 15 minutes of layered textures which makes you feel as if you are walking alone through a fierce blizzard… ‘Never Ending’, with its organ swells and delicate guitar twangs, sees the sun making its way through the thick grey clouds for the first time in weeks… The glistening finale ‘February Sun’ is bathed in sunlight, and is a blissful track to end the album. 4/5″

Time Off 

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-time-off/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Slow and Steady Winter” – Hypnagogue http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-hypnagogue/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-hypnagogue/#comments Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:49:54 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-hypnagogue/ Excerpt: “In just two albums, Slow Dancing Society (aka Drew Sullivan) has been placed squarely in my sights as an artist to not only watch, but to eagerly await new music from. SDS’ debut CD, The Sound of Lights When Dim, first introduced me to Sullivan’s artful blend of echoing, lonely guitar and crisp, intriguing electronics. On its enjoyable sequel, The Slow and Steady Winter, Sullivan revives that feel and expands his work to encompass even more processed, flowing guitar textures… an astounding piece of work that again cements Slow Dancing Society’s place–in my ears, at least–as an artist whose next disc I’ll always be looking forward to hearing. Bravo, Drew.”

Hypnagogue

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-hypnagogue/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Slow and Steady Winter” – Textura http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-textura/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-textura/#comments Thu, 27 Dec 2007 05:09:05 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-textura/ Excerpt: “superb sophomore effort by Washington-based Drew Sullivan… Challenging expectations, Sullivan startles the listener by audaciously inaugurating the album with understated yet transporting ambient pieces before introducing more conventional melodic fare… Frozen sheets of sound course through the epic ambient settings… which don’t so much showcase guitar virtuosity as they do lyrical beauty… “February Sun” ends Sullivan’s radiant The Slow and Steady Winter on a blissful high with celestial chord progressions building to a rapturous climax. Be sure to play the album loud in order to fully bask in its splendor.”

Textura 

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-textura/feed/ 1 Slow Dancing Society “The Slow and Steady Winter” – Luna Kafe http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-luna-kafe/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-luna-kafe/#comments Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:05:07 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-luna-kafe/ Excerpt: “The Slow and Steady Winter is a collection of free floating, wide stretched ambient works… powerful and majestic, and quite a pill for us Northerners on the threshold to a long and harsh winter… Ladies and gentlemen, come floating in space.”

Luna Kafe 

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-slow-and-steady-winter-%e2%80%93-luna-kafe/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Losing Today http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-sound-of-lights-when-dim-%e2%80%93-losing-today/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-sound-of-lights-when-dim-%e2%80%93-losing-today/#comments Thu, 07 Jun 2007 07:01:44 +0000 tim http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-sound-of-lights-when-dim-%e2%80%93-losing-today/ Excerpt – “Both spectral and glacial in texture, this touching soundscape seductively hovers and orbits within a hermetically sealed environ, all at once radiating lovelorn siren-like signatures across untold voids that translate into teasingly trippy and trance-like states of chilled-out bliss.”

LosingToday

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-the-sound-of-lights-when-dim-%e2%80%93-losing-today/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Ambient Music Guide http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-ambient-music-guide/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-ambient-music-guide/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:27:48 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-ambient-music-guide/ Excerpt – “The pick of the bunch is the sublime debut album of Slow Dancing Society, the one-man show of Washington-based composer Drew Sullivan. The Sound Of Lights When Dim is very gentle yet surprisingly melodic for music so understated. He uses various combinations of piano, stately organ, synthetic tones and clicks, and guitars in various guises. The unusual intimacy of his compositions is reflected in the wonderful titles: “How Life Was Meant To Be Lived”, “A Lonesome Sentiment”, you get the drift. “A Song That Will Help You Remember To Forget” overlays multiple guitar motifs on a subtle bed of keys with such tenderness it may well bring a tear to your eye. This is mesmerising stuff, thoroughly addictive and, yes, best played when the lights are rather less than bright.”

Ambient Music Guide

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-ambient-music-guide/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Boring Machines Disturb Sleep http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2007 15:46:42 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep/ Excerpt – “Music is all about moments like this. Moments when you are, unexpectedly, knocked over and stunned into submission by an album that has, quite literally, came from nowhere. Washington based producer, Drew Sullivan has managed to do just that, under his Slow Dancing Society moniker. “The Sound of Lights When Dim” is a deeply affecting, consistently excellent effort of stunning tranquillity and beautiful ambience, that demands repeated listening.”

Boring Machines Disturb Sleep

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – The Silent Ballet http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-the-silent-ballet/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-the-silent-ballet/#comments Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:08:53 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-the-silent-ballet/ Excerpt – “The aphorism “Patience is a Virtue” is applicable in many facets of life, and none more so than in the post-rock genre. Mogwai’s extreme climaxes would not retain half their efficacy without having patiently brooded on a theme for several minutes prior. The Six Parts Seven’s delicate chiming would not be as beautiful without patiently allowing silence to build anticipation until the next engaging melody. The Slow Dancing Society implements this tenet with striking maturity to create lush soundscapes and ethereal tones on their first full-length album The Sound of Lights When Dim.“

The Silent Ballet

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-the-silent-ballet/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Textura http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-textura/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-textura/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:20:24 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-textura/ Excerpt – “Slow Dancing Society’s (Washington-based musician Drew Sullivan) The Sound of Lights When Dim is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard in recent days. The moniker and album title alone perfectly capture the music’s tranquil, late-night ambiance. Throughout the fifty-minute set, gentle streams of piano, organ, and guitars float in rapturous slow motion……In the sumptuous opener “Be There,” glissandi guitars rise like creatures towards the light, while, anchored by the lulling rhythm of a recurring ‘tick,’ electric guitars delicately weave throughout “A Song That Will Help You Remember to Forget.” Elsewhere, a repeated folk theme brings “The Warm Familiar Smell of September” closest to conventional songcraft before the slow-burning guitar lament “Lonesome Sentiment” brings the album to a magisterial close…..Despite being magnificently understated, The Sound of Lights When Dim is nothing less than a triumph.”

Textura

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-textura/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Boring Machines Disturb Sleep (”Tips for 2007″ Article) http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep-%e2%80%9dtips-for-2007%e2%80%b3-article/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep-%e2%80%9dtips-for-2007%e2%80%b3-article/#comments Sun, 28 Jan 2007 15:34:14 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep-%e2%80%9dtips-for-2007%e2%80%b3-article/ Excerpt – “Utterly gorgeous stuff from Washington based producer Drue Sullivan. A stunning collection encompassing Pink Floyd’s ethereal guitars, Explosions In The Sky melodies, shimmering synths and delicate electronica. Australian label, Hidden Shoal Records, didn’t mess about, signing this guy immediately upon hearing the demo. “The Sound Of Lights When Dim” is inspiring.”

Boring Machines Disturb Sleep

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-boring-machines-disturb-sleep-%e2%80%9dtips-for-2007%e2%80%b3-article/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Luna Kafe http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-luna-kafe/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-luna-kafe/#comments Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:22:41 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-luna-kafe/ Excerpt – “With this release, Hidden Shoal Recordings continues to cement itself in my consciousness as the label to watch for gorgeous new music. First Glassacre, then My Majestic Star and Dilatazione, and now Slow Dancing Society, all on repeat play, dancing around my head like bright, sparkling galaxies of rich, life-affirming sound…..Discernible melodies seep through the gauzy synths and nag at your brain until serotonin is gradually carried throughout your body and you realise you’re floating an inch below the ceiling.”

Luna Kafe

]]> http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-luna-kafe/feed/ 0 Slow Dancing Society “The Sound of Lights When Dim” – Hypnagogue http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-hypnagogue/ http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-hypnagogue/#comments Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:49:07 +0000 Hidden Shoal Recordings http://music.hiddenshoal.com/archive/slow-dancing-society-%e2%80%9cthe-sound-of-lights-when-dim%e2%80%9d-hypnagogue/ Excerpt - “Sullivan’s graceful guitar work is the very solid foundation of this CD as he plays with a slow, sweeping style that perfectly augments the easy swirl of his deep electronic layers. The pairing of analog and digital instrumentation is seamless.”

Hypnagogue

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