Tor Lundvall - Empty City

Last Light, the previous release from New Jersey based artist Tor Lundvall was partly shaped by the locale around his New Jersey home. It was remarkable for achieving a staggering ambient hush and melancholic stillness. Empty City shares many characteristics with its predecessor but this time around Lundvall has sought inspiration from the decaying urban landscape around Jersey City, New Jersey.

The bleak setting of abandoned factories and disused warehouse would imply an industrial greyness and there is certainly evidence of this on Empty City. Yet reflected through Lundvall's painterly vision the industrial greyness is merged with luminous hues casting impressionistic shadows - suitably encapsulated by his stunning artwork of this eroded landscape. Everything on Empty City appears blurred and distant, as a result of the subtle interplay between ambient drone and muffled rhythm. The compositions comprising drone, wordless voice accompaniment, rhythm and space creates a feeling of momentum, as if you are traversing the empty streets during the hazy twilight hours. A haunted air hangs heavy. The use of melodies, or at least half melodies, make Empty City appear almost inviting. Lundvall's work shares an affinity with more drone based artists and like Last Light the hushed melancholy is on a par with the New York based electronic composer William Basinski. By its nature Empty City doesn't clamour for attention but it certainly deserves it. Empty City is available in an edition of 955 numbered copies. For more information go to www.strangefortune.com