For those not in the know, early Windham Hill releases are not to be skipped over. The label that became synonymous with commercial shopping mall mass marketed sonic enlightenment (whether or not this characterization was just is up for debate) started as a humble, honest and fascinating collection of experimental artists from the Bay Area making truly interesting, and often very wonderful, sounds. What does that little nugget of wisdom have to do with MONKS OF THE BALHILL....? Not a fucking thing, except that listening to the opening five minutes of "Andy Trotter Jumped Into The Fire" kinda made me think about that early catalog. This release descends into darkness of course, melting those early Ackerman LPs and drinking the ensuing sludge. Like a distant train in the night, two French Vincents make sound dance off of mountains whose silhouettes are obscured by the very weight of the night air. And the primitive synths move closer, rising....enter obligatory and/or unnecessary dawn metaphors. Ten Ways To Get Out Of The Water offers but two. Perhaps the other eight are waiting until someone (else) is drowning.
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