The Magma (NO SUN RECORDS NSR010) record is mostly the sounds made by Wanu, i.e. Sébastian Pittet, a bass player from Switzerland, but he did it in collaboration with visual elements supplied by Sébastian Guenot, and live mix / processing by Mathias Durand. The bass is heavily processed, and Wanu are aiming for an immersive / ambient excursion, replete with titles that evoke visions of the sky, the ocean, and mysterious apparitions. Too laid-back and uneventful for me on today’s spin, and lacking in definition – Wanu brings new levels of fuzziness to the ambient genre. There’s something to be said for his restraint, though, as he forsakes the rich overloaded dronery that blights many records in this genre, in favour of a meandery, understated musing and minimal playing action. Heaven knows why he opened the album with ‘In Utero’, ten minutes of slow-moving hollowed-out wispiness that doesn’t do very much to engage the listener. (01/11/2024)
