موسیقی معاصر تهران Tehran contemporary music festival

On the orbit of balance
On the Ambaát ensemble’s concert at the Fourth Tehran Contemporary Music Festival
by Mehdi Seyedinejad

The second day of the electronic/experimental section of the festival was dedicated to electronic performance accompanied by electric guitar, by the Icelandic ensemble Ambaát. The ensemble consists of Pan Thorarensen and Þorkell Atlason. From the beginning, we are engaged with a slow and contemplative series of chords that progress one after the other. At each sonic level, and with a slow gradient, pitches move to the highest intensity and then fade slowly. After around 6 minutes from the beginning, suddenly and at a high point, this atmosphere is replaced with natural sounds (like sounds of birds and water). Then again, the previous atmosphere slowly re-emerges and tries to merge into these sounds. Gradually, the initial atmosphere takes shape but this time we can hear short, few note melodies in the background.

These three parts develop from each other with ease and this makes the audience constantly look for new sonic events. As such, we are faced with a one-hour continuous performance with smaller parts within it that although representing themselves in smooth succession, are distinct. In this regard, it seems that Ambaát tries to give a kind of formal regularity to its work and by this takes the audience with itself.

The appearance of repetitive rhythmic motives in certain parts indicates that Ambaát does not shy away from being affected by different types of music in its experimental path. In addition, and in line with this approach, thematically loaded melodies and chords with tonal associations have a certain amount of significance in the work. This can remind us of progressive rock concerts and also, continuous repetition of a melody and gradual addition and resolution of sonic layers creates an ecstasy similar to ambient music. Ambaát chooses an approach in its experimental path that is affected by various musical sources and puts each one in an orbit and creates a system of balance. Not so much dependent to search and playing with new timbres and not necessarily dependent on melody, rhythm, and form.