fran3000
An excellent ambient affair by Fragile X. However, this isn't a static ambient by the numbers release. Instead, it is full of interesting turns and sonic ruminations within each composition, with each track containing a series of restrained, almost poetic melody lines. The title track is the most evocative with its bass coda, serving as a beacon to which the listener can guide their senses as they navigate the rest of the album more daydream like moments.
See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...
'Maps for the Lost' – Fragile X (SBA #009)
For the label’s ninth release, See Blue Audio heads over to Glasgow with ‘Maps for the Lost’ from the accomplished and prolific electronic artist Fragile X. With a sound described as “drifting somewhere in the audio void between the chaos and the calm”, Fragile X moves freely between ambient and techno, taking in IDM, breaks, electro, glitch and drone, and experimental electronica along the way.
As well as being the founder, label manager and one of the principal producers on the respected Bricolage imprint, Fragile X has recently released and remixed for labels like Disintegration State, Triplicate Records and Light At The End under his Leit Motif guise. He’s also known for his expansive, genre-crossing DJ mixes and podcasts. Now it’s the turn of See Blue Audio with ‘Maps for the Lost’, a collection that reveals what is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Fragile X: he is a sonic storyteller with the enquiring mind of an adventurer. Those stories may take the form of underground electronic music, but they are essentially stories, nonetheless.
Over the five tracks of ‘Maps for the Lost’, the listener is taken on an audio journey where the music flows together using field recordings, spoken word samples, beatless soundscapes and sound design techniques. This goes far beyond being a sequence of tracks as this feeling of transportation is an inherent narrative throughout the music, starting with the wide-open spaces and sense of mystery radiating from ‘Departure from Nowhere’.
‘Wayfarer’ follows with the music taking a subtle shift, almost as if it has been exposed to light and a sense of purpose created. The use of glitch effects heightens this sensation of stepping into the unknown. Next up is the title track, and ‘Maps for the Lost’ begins with a delicate melody before being consumed by drums and a bassline to dramatic effect. It’s knowing the right moment to add these elements that really allows the music to breathe and build the narrative; lost we may be but moving forward with wonder.
On ‘Passing the Ley Lines’, our feet are planted back on the earth, but as with the concept of ley lines, nothing is quite what it seems. Rich textures of ambient sound shift and realign like the ground beneath our feet, and some kind of equilibrium is established. The conclusion of ‘Full Circle (True North)’ is exactly as the title suggests: all things must return to their source for harmony to be restored. Based around a simple piano refrain, true north is found again, and we can rest from our travels.
It’s as much about the journey as the destination: this may be a well over-used concept, but with ‘Maps for the Lost’ it feels right. With this release, Fragile X has created a musical travelogue that is far more than just a metaphor. Be transported.
Mastered by Richard Jones at Dark Fidelity Hi Fi Studios.
"...gently arpeggiated electronica which mixes the aesthetics and at times euphoria of dance music with the wash and escape of ambient electronica and create an uplifting sense of space, freedom and renewal." - (A Year In The Country, March 2021)
supported by 26 fans who also own “Maps for the Lost”
what an amazing tapestry of sonic storytelling in this incredible album. My favorite track is a story in and of itself and the use of field recordings all throughout this album makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the narratives presented here. very well done and highly recommended. 10/10. Scott Lawlor
supported by 25 fans who also own “Maps for the Lost”
Brilliant production covering an impressive range of IDM, ambient, glitch and even elements of DnB. The Butterfly Effect is especially captivating and is one of many highlights to be found on this EP. Highly recommended! Jeff Haight
The forthcoming "Between Waves" from The Album Leaf, their first in six years, is layered and expansive, grounded in mournful melodies. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 18, 2016
Fragile, breathtaking music from French American artist Lyli J, lit up by softly glowing synths and gentle vocal melodies. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 11, 2024
supported by 21 fans who also own “Maps for the Lost”
My favourite track of 2023 has to be this one from Fragile X - one of Skylab Radio's most popular-played tracks and one of our chosen tracks in the 365 Days Of Chill series of 2023. Katy Jay (Radio Presenter, Skylab Radio)