Damon Kelly is the man behind the sound here, and he uses many instruments to create an electronic world. While I'm sure it's a lot harder to actually process guitar, bass, etc., into this ambient swirl, I think Kelly may be on to something. This album has a real organic feel to it.

Gentoo Structures (self-released)

Kelly takes his time. These songs aren't particularly long, but Kelly waits a while to reveal the final form of a particular piece. This lends a pleasing jolt of anticipation, and it also allows for the full formation of ideas. After all, this kind of music is all about mental exploration.

I don't know Gentoo's previous work, so I can't judge this against anything that came before. But this level of skill and mastery over a form doesn't happen overnight. Even more impressive is how Kelly manages to make all of these songs sound effortless and inevitable.

You can bob along in the flow, or you can dig deeper. You know my choice. There's plenty below the surface here, and that level of craft and commitment is impressive. Let this one percolate in your cerebral cortex a while and see what pops up.

Jon Worley