Sejlet, Agten For Tværs Gennem Bølgedal, Denmark, Janushoved, Janushoved no. 186, limited edition cassette (2024)
Danish label Janushoved has lately been releasing some very lovely electronic ambient music on cassette and this recording from Sejlet is a good example of what Janushoved specialises in: graceful if perhaps introspective ambient with a melancholy air. Apart from “Halvvind mod Kerteminde”, most tracks are quite short, the last couple of pieces very much so, and all of them are very distinct from one another in atmosphere and mood as well as tone. “Halvvind mod Kerteminde” especially is a dreamy piece in which you can float away completely enveloped in a cushion of serenity and peace, accompanied by occasional birdsong, insect rhythm and wisps of trance drone. Later tracks like “Sjællands Rev” and “Korshavn” may have a darker atmosphere with a more sombre, wistful mood while “Langør”, definitely not the liveliest piece here, does no more than what its name (in English, “languor”) says.
For me, the most attractive (and the shortest!) piece here is “Sælen Ved Romsø” which packs in a dreamy (even if sickly sounding) fairy-tale world with tinkly tones and bleached swirling drone, and then another dream-like soundscape of toy-like tones and background fumbles, all of which give the entire one-minute wonder (well, maybe almost two minutes) the impression of being a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it snapshot of a dizzy kaleidoscope universe filled with ever-changing colour and spectacle.
At just under 21 minutes in length, this truly is a miniature universe of wonder and magic which, if you’re willing, can expand to infinite dimensions in your head.