Produced, mixed, and designed by Jim Combs
at Common Sound Studio, Decatur, GA 2019-2021
Mastered by Greg Wright
Diane Arkenstone – Spoken Words on 2. (Diane appears courtesy of Neo Pacifica Recordings)
Tom Carleno – 12-string Guitar on 4
Jim Combs – Keyboards & Drum Machines on 1-11, Field Recordings on 2, 3, & 5
Brian Donohoe – Alto & Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Flute, & Keyboards on 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, & 9
Brian Good – Soprano Sax on 2, 4, & 8
Paul Nagle – Synthesizers & Soma Pipe chant on 7
Josie Quick – Violin on 1, 4, 6, 8, & 9
Giles Reaves – Synthesizers, Drums, & Percussion on 1
Mitchell Sosebee – Drums & Percussion on 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, & 9
Ryan P. Taylor – Guitars & Bass on 1, 4, 7, 8, & 9
One Side
1. Fauna Funk Fusion (9:26) [Combs, Donohoe, Quick, Reaves, Sosebee, Taylor]
2. Snow Laughing Matter (9:04) [Combs, Donohoe, Good, Sosebee, words by Combs]
3. Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park (2:36) [Combs]
4. Backyard Limbo (8:57) [Carleno, Combs, Donohoe, Good, Quick, Sosebee, Taylor]
5. Cosmic Tune-up (0:59) [Combs]
6. Cosmic Orchestra (6:04) [Combs, Donohoe, Quick, Sosebee]
7. Fast Driving Open Road* (15:27) [Combs, Donohoe, Nagle, Sosebee, Taylor]
Another Side
8. Closer to Home (9:24) [Combs, Good, Quick, Sosebee, Taylor]
9. As Night Unfolds** (8:12) [Combs, Donohoe, Quick, Sosebee, Taylor]
10. Watching Embers Glow* (7:34) [Combs]
11. Kimono My Bliss*** (30:09) [Combs]
* Basic tracks recorded live on Kimono My House, May 30, 2020
** Basic tracks recorded live on Kimono My House, April 5, 2020
*** Recorded live on Kimono My House, April 12, 2020
Other tracks recorded at the artists respective studios
Jim’s hardware synths & seqs on this record: ARP Odyssey, Conductive Labs The NDLR, Korg ARP Odyssey, Korg ARP 2600FS, Korg ESX-1, Korg Kronos X, Korg Kronos 2, Lexicon Jamman, Roland JD-800, Roland JP-8000, Roland TR-8, Sequentix P3, TC Electronics Ditto X2 & X4 loopers, Waldorf Blofeld, & Yamaha Tenori-On. MOTU Digital Performer 10 was the recording & mixing platform.
Special thanks to Andy Gish & Kim Ware for Kimono My House.
Liner notes by Jim Combs.
Edited by Mike Metlay.
Love to Deirdre & Leana.
Awards
Closer to Home
Clouzine International Music Awards Fall 2021 – Best Instrumental Album.
One World Music 2021 Album 3rd Place Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
One World Music Radio lists “Cosmic Orchestra” as a Top 30 Track of 2021, and at #2 on July 2021 and June 2021 Album Chart, #5 on August 2021 Album Chart, #9 for September 2021 Album Chart, #10 on October 2021 Album Chart, and #14 on May 2021 Album Chart.
Best of 2021 Awards contender for Grammy (first round Best New Age Album, Best Album Engineering, Non-Classical, Best Recording Packaging, Best Album Notes).
NACC: #5 on the NACC CHILL: YEAR-END TOP 10 and at #1 on July 27, 2021 Chill Chart, #2 on August 31, 2021 Chill Chart, #4 on September 21, 2021 and August 17, 2021 Chill Chart, #5 on September 7, 2021 Chill Chart and August 3, 2021 and July 20, 2021 Chill Chart, #6 on September 28, 2021 Chill Chart, September 14, 2021 Chill Chart and August 10, 2021 Chill Chart, #8 on November 2, 2021 Chill Chart, #10 on June 15, 2021 Chill Chart, #17 on August 24, 2021 Chill Chart, #25 on July 13, 2021 Chill Chart, #26 on June 29, 2021 Chill Chart, #28 on March 29, 2022 and November 16, 2021 Chill Chart.
SoundsLikeCafe at #1 on June & May 2021 Instrumental Album Charts, #2 on March, February and January 2022, December, November, October, September, August & July 2021 Instrumental Album Chart, and “Backyard Limbo” at #6 on June & May 2021 Singles Charts.
Zone Music Reporter at #9 for June 2021 Top 100 Airplay Chart, #10 for July 2021, #16 for May 2021 Top 100 Airplay Chart, #21 for August 2021 Top 100 Airplay Chart, #33 for September 2021 Top 100 Airplay, and at #35 on October 2021 and April 2021 Top 100 Airplay Chart, #39 for May 2022, #47 for February 2022 and November 2021 Top 100 Airplay Chart, #71 for January 2022, #83 for March 2022, and #95 for December 2021 Top 100 Airplay Chart.
Electronic Groove lists “Fast Driving Open Road” in the Top-60 for Jan-July 2022, and the last half of 2021 Deep House Chart.
WXPN 88.5FM Star’s End Top 25 for May 2021. And a Significant Release of 2021.
Airplay
Closer to Home
WWSP 90FM Ambient Aether in Stevens Point, WI played “Snow Laughing Matter” on December 15, 2024, “Watching Embers Glow” on November 24, 2024, “Backyard Limbo” on April 21, 2024, “As Night Unfolds” on March 17, 2024, “Closer to Home” on March 10, 2024, “As Night Unfolds” on March 3, 2024, “Watching Embers Glow” on January 28, 2024, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on July 23, 2023. “As Night Unfolds” on June 25, 2023 and June 11, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on February 5, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on December 11, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on November 27, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on November 20, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on October 16, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on July 17, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 10, 2022, “Fast Driving Open Road” on June 19, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on June 12, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on June 5, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on May 29, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 22, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on May 15, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on April 17, 2022, “Closer to Home” on April 3, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on March 27, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on March 20, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on March 13, 2022, “Closer to Home” on February 27, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on February 20, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on February 13, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-Up” on February 6, 2022, “Fast Driving Open Road” on January 30, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on December 12, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on December 5, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on November 7, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on October 31, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on October 17, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on October 10, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on October 3, 2021, “Fast Driving Open Road” on September 5, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on August 29, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on August 22, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-up” and “Kimono My Bliss” on August 1, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on July 25, 2021, “Closer to Home” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on July 11, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on July 4, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 27, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on June 20, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on June 13, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on May 30, 2021, “Closer to Home” on May 23, 2021, and “Watching Embers Glow” on May 16, 2021.
WNMC 90.7FM Inner Visions & Nightfall show in Traverse City, Michigan played “Closer To Home” on October 20, 2024, “Kimono My Bliss” on October 6, 2024, “Backyard Limbo” on August 4, 2024, “Fast Driving Open Road” on June 9, 2024, April 14, 2024, “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 14, 2024, “Backyard Limbo” on September 24, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on September 10, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on August 6, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on May 7, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on March 5, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 15, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” and “Kimono My Bliss” on December 11, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on September 25, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on September 11, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on August 21, 2022, “Closer to Home” on July 31, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on May 29, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on April 24, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on January 23, 2022, “Closer to Home” on January 16, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-Up” on January 2, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” and “Closer to Home” on December 26, 2021, and “Cosmic Orchestra” and “Backyard Limbo” on December 19, 2021.
KAOS 89.3FM Wheel of Wonder show in Olympia, WA played “Watching Embers Glow” on May 5, 2024.
KBRP 96.1 FM The Luminous Chord show played “Closer to Home” on March 13, 2024, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on January 25, 2024, “Closer to Home” on August 17, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on November 24, 2022, “Fast Driving Open Road” on October 13, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” and “As Night Unfolds” on September 14, 2022.”Closer to Home” on March 13, 2022 and March 9, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on February 3, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on January 9, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on December 5, 2021 and December 2, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on November 14, 2021 and November 11, 2021, “Kimono My Bliss” on September 30, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on September 6, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on August 22, 2021, August 19, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on August 4, 2021, “Closer to Home” on July 4, 2021 and June 30, 2021. The Quantum Soup played “Backyard Limbo” on September 12, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on July 11, 2021 and July 9, 2021, “Fast Driving Open Road” on June 7, 2021 and June 4, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on May 3, 2021, and May 1, 2021, and “Fauna Funk Fusion” on April 19, 2021, and April 17, 2021.
KUVO 89.3 FM Denver, 89.7 FM Breckenridge, 88.5 FM Vail The Nightside with Andy O’ played “Snow Laughing Matter” on December 18, 2023, and August 15, 2021.
The Morning Breeze show in Black Hawk, CO played “As Night Unfolds” on December 17, 2023, December 16, 2023, and December 9, 2023, “Closer to Home” on October 7, 2023 and August 12, 2023, August 6, 2023 and August 5, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on July 29, 2023, July 23, 2023 and July 22, 2023,, “Closer to Home” on June 19, 2023, June 17, 2023, June 11, 2023, and June 10, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on June 4, 2023, and June 3, 2023, “Closer to Home” on May 13, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 3, 2023 and April 30, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on April 22, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on April 16, 2023, April 15, 2023, April 9, 2023 and April 8, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on April 2, 2023 and April 1, 2023, “As Night Unfolds” on March 26, 2023, March 25, 2023, March 19, 2023 and March 18, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on March 12, 2023, March 5, 2023 and March 4, 2023, “Closer to Home” and “Watching Embers Glow” on February 26, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on February 25, 2023 and February 19, 2023, “Closer to Home” and “Watching Embers Glow” on February 18, 2023, “Closer to Home” and “Watching Embers Glow” on February 11, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on February 5, 2023 and February 4, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 29, 2023, “Closer to Home” on January 22, 2023, January 21, 2023, January 14, 2023, and January 7, 2023, “Watching Embers Glow” on January 1, 2022, December 26, 2022, October 30, 2022 and October 16, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-Up” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on October 9, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on October 8, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on October 1, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on September 17, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 10, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on September 3, 2022, August 28, 2022, August 13, 2022, July 31, 2022, July 30, 2022, July 17, 2022 and July 16, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on July 9, 2022 and July 3, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on June 4, 2022 and May 29, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 8, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on May 7, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on April 23, 2022, April 18, 2022 and April 17, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on April 16, 2022, “Closer to Home” on April 2, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on March 26, 2022, February 26, 2022, February 20, 2022 and February 19, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 30, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 29, 2022 and January 22, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on January 16, 2022 and January 15, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on January 9, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on January 8, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on January 2, 2022, January 1, 2022. “Snow Laughing Matter” on January 9, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on January 8, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on January 2, 2022, January 1, 2022, November 20, 2021 and November 13, 2021, November 7, 2021, November 6, 2021, October 16, 2021, October 10, 2021, October 3, 2021 and October 2, 2021, “Closer to Home” on September 26, 2021 and September 25, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” and “Closer to Home” on September 18, 2021, “Closer to Home” on September 11, 2021, “Closer to Home” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 5, 2021, “Closer to Home” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 4, 2021, “Closer to Home” on August 29, 2021, August 28, 2021 and August 22, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on August 14, 2021, “As Night Unfolds”, “Backyard Limbo”, “Closer to Home” on July 31, 2021, “Closer to Home” on July 25, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “As Night Unfolds” on July 24, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on July 18, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” and “As Night Unfolds” on July 17, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on July 11, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on July 10, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 4, 2021, “Closer to Home”, “As Night Unfolds” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 3, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” and “Watching Embers Glow” on June 27, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “As Night Unfolds” on June 26, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 20, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on June 19, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 13, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “As Night Unfolds” on June 12, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” and “As Night Unfolds” on June 6, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on June 5, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” and “Closer to Home” on May 29, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” and “As Night Unfolds” on May 22, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 15, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on May 9, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 8, 2021 & May 2, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 1, 2021. “Cosmic Orchestra” and “As Night Unfolds” on May 22, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 15, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on May 9, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 8, 2021, and May 2, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 1, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on April 25, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on April 24, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on April 18, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on April 17, 2021 and April 11, 2021.
WREK 91.1 FM Atmospherics show in Atlanta, GA played “Backyard Limbo” on October 3, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on August 22, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on August 11, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on August 4, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on August 2, 2023, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on July 31, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on July 26, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 19, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on July 16, 2023, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on July 11, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on July 10, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on July 6, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on July 2, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on July 1, 2023, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on June 22, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 21, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on June 15, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on June 12, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on June 5, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 1, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on May 30, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 26, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on May 18, 2023, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on May 16, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on May 15, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on May 8, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on May 3, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on April 30, 2023, “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on April 26, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on April 19, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on April 10, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on April 8, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on April 7, 2023 and March 22, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on March 17, 2023, “Snow Laughing Matter” on March 16, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on March 15, 2023, “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on March 6, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” on February 24, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on February 19, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on February 18, 2023, “Cosmic Tune-up” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on January 28, 2023, “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 21, 2023, “Backyard Limbo” on January 12, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on December 29, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on December 28, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on December 24, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on December 22, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on December 21, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on December 9, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on December 3, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on December 1, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on November 29, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on November 28, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on November 25, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on November 17, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on November 2, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on October 26, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on October 21, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on October 16, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on October 8, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on October 7, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on October 1, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on September 25, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 21, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on September 19, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” and “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 10, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on September 4, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on August 30, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on August 22, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on August 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on July 23, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on July 19, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 13, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on June 17, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on June 15, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on June 11, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 10, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 30, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on May 29, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on May 11, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on April 29, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on April 20, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” and Cosmic Orchestra” on April 18, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on April 11, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on April 10, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on April 5, 2022 and March 22, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on March 18, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on March 9, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion on February 28, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on February 22, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on February 21, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on February 16, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on February 9, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on February 8, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on February 3, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on January 25, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on January 21, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on January 9, 2022, “Cosmic Tune-up” on January 8, 2022, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on January 5, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on December 25, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on December 20, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on December 18, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-up” on December 13, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on December 12, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on December 8, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on November 27, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on November 24, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on November 18, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-up” on November 16, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on November 14, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on November 13, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on November 9, 2021, and “Cosmic Orchestra” on November 1, 2021. “Cosmic Tune-up” on November 16, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on November 14, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on November 13, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on November 9, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on November 3, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on November 1, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on October 27. 2021, “Cosmic Tune-Up” on October 24, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on October 17, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on October 11, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on October 4, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-Up” on September 29, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on September 28, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 18, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on September 15, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-up” on September 8, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on September 6, 2021. “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on September 6, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on August 30, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on August 23, 2021 and August 24, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-Up” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on August 13, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on August 11, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on August 10, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” and “Cosmic Tune-up” on August 2, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on July 28, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” on July 26, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 9, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” and “Fauna Funk Fusion” on June 21, 2021, “Cosmic Tune-Up” on June 10, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on June 1, 2021, “Fort Hamilton Parkway- Prospect Park” on May 21, 2021, “Backyard Limbo”, “Fauna Funk Fusion”, “Cosmic Tune-Up”, “Snow Laughing Matter”, and “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 19, 2021.
KCBX 90FM Beyond the Fringe radio show in San Luis Obispo | 89.5 Santa Barbara | 91.7 Paso Robles to Salinas 90.9 Santa Ynez, Avila Beach, Cambria | 91.1 Cayucos | and 95.1 Lompoc played “Fast Driving Open Road” on May 24, 2023, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on August 31, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 27, 2022, “Closer to Home” on May 10, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on March 22, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on February 15, 2022, “Fast Driving Open Road” on January 19, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on December 2, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on November 10, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” and “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on October 11, 2021, “Fast Driving Open Road” on September 15, 2021, “Kimono My Bliss” on August 17, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 20, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on July 7, 2021, “Closer to Home” on June 8, 2021, and “Backyard Limbo” on May 11, 2021 and lists ‘Closer to Home’ at #1 on the Chill Chart for November 16, 2021, October 19, 2021, #2 on the January 25, 2022 Chill Chart, #3 on the Chill Chart for February 22, 2022 and December 7, 2021, #4 on the Chill Chart for March 29, 2022, November 9, 2021 and November 2, 2021, #5 on the Chill Chart for May 17, 2022, March 15, 2022, #6 on the Chill Chart for March 22, 2022, February 15, 2022, February 8, 2022 and December 14, 2021, #7 on the Chill Chart for March 8, 2022 and January 11, 2022, #9 on their March 1, 2022, January 18, 2022 Chill Chart, #10 on the Chill Chart for November 23, 2021, October 26, 2021.
KOBV 103.3FM Rivulets & Reveries in Bentonville, AR played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 4, 2022.
KUAC 89.9FM Nightlight radio show in Fairbanks, AK played “Closer to Home” on November 13, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on August 21, 2022, “Closer to Home” on December 19, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on October 24, 2021, “Backyard Limbo” and “Watching Embers Glow” on October 10, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on May 16, 2021, “Closer to Home” on May 9, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on May 2, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” and Closer to Home” on April 25, 2021, and “Closer To Home” and “Cosmic Orchestra” on April 18, 2021.
SomaFM Drone Zone played “Kimono My Bliss” on November 6, 2022, September 11, 2022, July 3, 2022, May 8, 2022, March 6, 2022, and January 30, 2022 as part of their Long Form Sunday show.
WYSO Public Radio 91.3 FM Alpha Rhythms in Yellow Springs, OH played “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 29, 2022, “Watching Embers Glow” on September 12, 2021, “Closer to Home” on August 29,2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on August 22, 2021, “Closer to Home” on August 1, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on July 18, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on July 4, 2021, “Closer to Home” on June 20, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on June 13, 2021 and May 30, 2021, “Closer to Home” on May 23, 2021 and May 9, 2021, and “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 2, 2021.
WMSE 91.7FM Instrumental Saturdays radio played “Fauna Funk Fusion” on May 21, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on August 28, 2021, “Closer to Home” on May 22, 2021, and “As Night Unfolds” on April 17, 2021.
WFIT 89.5 FM Future Echoes show, Palm Bay, FL played “Watching Embers Glow” on May 8, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on May 1, 2022, “Closer to Home” on April 10, 2022, “Backyard Limbo” on March 20, 2022, “Snow Laughing Matter” on March 6, 2022, “Kimono My Bliss” on February 13, 2022, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on February 6, 2022, “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 30, 2022, and “Fast Driving Open Road” on January 23, 2022.
WOZO 103.9FM Audio Collision with Cadmium Red in Knoxville, TN played “Kimono My Bliss” on April 10, 2022, and April 18, 2021.
KXRY 91.1 & 107.1FM 12 Steps Beyond Prog radio show in Portland, OR played “Watching Embers Glow” on March 25, 2022, “As Night Unfolds” on June 19, 2021, and “Fauna Funk Fusion” on April 28, 2021.
KCSN 88.5FM Galactic Voyager show in Northridge, CA played “Cosmic Orchestra” on January 16, 2022, and June 27, 2021.
Hearts of Space (NPR syndicated radio show on 200+ stations in the US) played “Watching Embers Glow” the week of December 17, 2021 on Program 1303, WINTERTRONIC 2.
KTNA 88.9FM Hearts of Space in Talkeetna, AK played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 21, 2021.
KHNS FM Hearts of Space serving Haines, Skagway and Klukwan, AK on 102.3 and 91.9 FM played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 20, 2021.
KKUP 91.5FM in Cupertino, CA, Hearts of Space played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 19, 2021, Bridges and Ports show played “As Night Unfolds” on July 22, 2021, June 24, 2021 and May 27, 2021 and Neptune Currents show played “Closer to Home” on June 13, 2021.
KMSU 89.7FM Hearts of Space show in Mankato, MN played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 19, 2021.
North Country Public Radio (upstate NY) Hearts of Space played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 19, 2021 on WSLU 89.5 fm Canton – WXLU 88.1 fm Peru/Plattsburgh/Burlington – WSLZ 88.1 fm Cape Vincent – WXLS 88.3 fm Tupper Lake – WSLJ 88.9 fm Watertown – WXLD 89.7 fm Lowville – WXLG 89.9 fm North Creek – WSLL 90.5 fm Saranac Lake – WSLG 90.5 fm Gouverneur – WXLQ 90.5 fm Bristol, VT – WSLO 90.9 fm Malone – WXLH 91.3 fm Blue Mtn. Lake – WXLB 91.7 fm Boonville – WXLL 91.7 fm Lake Placid – WXLE 105.9 Indian Lake.
WSHU 91.1FM Hearts of Space in Fairfield, CT played “Watching Embers Glow” on December 19, 2021.
KCUR 89.3FM Night Tides w/Renée Blanche in Kansas City, MO played “Closer to Home” on November 28, 2021, “Fast Driving Open Road” on August 22, 2021, “Closer to Home” on July 4, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on June 6, 2021, and “Watching Embers Glow” on May 2, 2021.
CFBX 92.5FM ProgDog show played “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on November 8, 2021 and Alternative Eye radio show in Kamloops, BC, Canada played “Backyard Limbo” on September 22, 2021, and September 15, 2021.
WODU Studios in Norfolk, VA played “Watching Embers Glow” on November 2, 2021, October 19, 2021, October 5, 2021, September 26, 2021, August 24, 2021, August 20, 2021, and August 10, 2021and lists ‘Closer to Home’ at #7 on October 12, 2021, #6 on September 14, 2021 and September 7, 2021, #2 on August 31, 2021.
CJSW 90.9FM Katharsis show in Calgary, AB played “Cosmic Orchestra” on October 24, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on October 3, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on August 29, 2021, and Alternative To What? played “Fauna Funk Fusion” on August 12, 2021.
WDIY 88.1 FM Galactic Travels in Allentown and Bethlehem, PA show played “Closer to Home” on October 7, 2021.
WMNR 88.1FM The Gallery show in Monroe, CT played “Closer to Home” and “As Night Unfolds” on October 7, 2021.
CJSR 88.5 FM in Edmonton, Alberta lists ‘Closer to Home’ at #7 on their October 5, 2021 Jazz Chart, and #8 on their July 27, 2021 Jazz Chart.
WMUH Thought Radio played “Snow Laughing Matter” on September 11, 2021.
KNNN 87.7 Hella Radio in Redding, CA listed ‘Closer to Home’ at #2 for September 7, 2021 Chill Chart, #8 on August 24, 2021 and August 17, 2021 Chill Chart, and #5 on August 10, 2021 Chill Chart.
Hypnagogue Podcasts play “Snow Laughing Matter” on their Episode 337 on August 19, 2021.
M3 Radio listed ‘Closer to Home’ at #10 on August 17, 2021 Chill Chart, #9 on August 10, 2021 Chill Chart and August 3, 2021 Chill Chart, and #10 on July 27, 2021 Chill Chart.
WCSF 88.7 FM in Joliet, IL listed ‘Closer to Home’ at #9 on August 10, 2021, #6 on August 3, 2021 Chill Chart, and #4 on July 27, 2021 Chill Chart.
CKUW 95.9FM Shades of Classics in Winnipeg, MB, Canada played “Fast Driving Open Road” on August 8, 2021.
2MAX FM 91.3 The Musical Panorama in Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia played “Backyard Limbo” on July 29, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on July 22, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on June 17, 2021, and “Backyard Limbo” on May 27, 2021.
One World Music Radio included “Cosmic Orchestra” in Electro-Mechanical #6 posted on July 8, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” in Ambient Music Library Show #10 on June 10, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” in Electro-Mechanical #4 show posted on May 27, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” in The Endless Enigma #7 show posted on May 20, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” in the To The Stars show #15 posted on April 29, 2021, and “Cosmic Orchestra” in their Playlist #345 posted April 27, 2021.
WHYR 96.9FM’s The Clearing radio show in Baton Rouge, LA played “Kimono My Bliss” on July 3, 2021, “Watching Embers Glow” on June 19, 2021, “As Night Unfolds” on May 30, 2021, and “Closer to Home” on May 9, 2021.
KDNK 88.1 FM Carbondale, Glenwood 88.3 FM Aspen played “Fauna Funk Fusion” on July 3, 2021 and June 7, 2021.
Future Beautiful Radio ATMOSPHERES played “Kimono My Bliss” on their June 23, 2021 #304 show, and “Watching Embers Glow” on their May 9, 2021 #299 show.
XRAY.FM 107.1FM 12 Steps Beyond Prog in Portland, OR played “As Night Unfolds” on June 19, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on April 28, 2021.
Vital Weekly Podcast # 1289 played “Watching Embers Glow” on June 15, 2021.
RadioSpiral Meander show played “Snow Laughing Matter”, “Watching Embers Glow”, “Fast Driving Open Road”, and “Kimono My Bliss” on June 15, 2021.
WXPN 88.5FM Star’s End radio show in Philadelphia, PA played “Watching Embers Glow” on June 6, 2021, and “Kimono My Bliss” on May 9, 2021. Top 25 for May 2021.
Sequences Electronic Music podcast included “Cosmic Orchestra” in their latest No 193 podcast on June 1, 2021.
KTEP 88.5FM Audiosyncracy in El Paso, TX played “Closer to Home” on May 23, 2021, “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 9, 2021 and April 25, 2021.
WPRB 103.3FM Music with Space radio show in Princeton, NJ played “Closer to Home” on May 21, 2021, “Snow Laughing Matter” on May 7, 2021, “Fauna Funk Fusion” on April 30, 2021, and “Fast Driving Open Road” on April 23, 2021.
WESS 90.3FM Alternating Currents in East Stroudsburg, PA played “Cosmic Orchestra” on May 15, 2021, and “Closer to Home” on May 1, 2021.
KXCI 91.3FM Elysian Fields radio show played “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park” on May 14, 2021.
KOWS 92.5FM in Occidental, CA played “Fauna Funk Fusion” on May 12, 2021.
Maestro FM 97.7 Fresh Sly radio show in Chișinău, Moldova added “Backyard Limbo” on May 11, 2021.
SoundsLikeCafe, which distributes music to over 1400 cafes across Australia, added ‘Closer to Home’ album to their distribution and feature list.
Radio 3S (Radio SolarSoundSystem), the official SolarSoundSystem web-radio, 100% solar powered (via Horus, based in Switzerland) added “Fauna Funk Fusion”.
Lite Lounge with Dimitri K. included “Fauna Funk Fusion”, Snow Laughing Matter”, “Backyard Limbo”, and “Closer to Home” on his May 9, 2021 broadcast that goes out around the world to Radio Staaken Relaxation, Berlin, Germany, KHHR-DB Razors Hot Radio, Adelanto CA, New Jazz Radio, Tampa Bay, FL, WCDR Radio, Miami, FL, WCJS Radio, Potomac, MD, Peachtree Radio FM, Atlanta, GA Bushrod Music Radio, Baton Rouge, LA, MAD Fm – New Zealand, Big Ear Radio – UK, Precious Radio Mood Los Angeles, CA, Berlin & Munich (Germany), Quebec & Montréal (Canada), Tokyo & Osaka (Japan), Paris (France), New York (USA), Tel Aviv (Israël), Satellite FM Paris – France, BEAT BREAK RADIO 87 FM – Atlanta, GA, Radio St.Pete – US, Sunshine 96.7 FM – St. Petersburg, WJMX-DB Smooth Jazz Boston – Boston, MA, Hindsight Media Radio 103.5 FM – US, and Gaia FM on 87.8 & 107.0 – New Zealand.
Electronic Fusion, the weekly radio show solely dedicated to electronic music of various styles, included “Cosmic Orchestra” and “As Night Unfolds” on EPISODE #294 that played on 4/24/2021 on Modul303 from Germany, 4/25/2021 on SCIFI.radio from the USA and Radio Dark Tunnel from Germany, and 4/26/2021 on Electronic Music Radio from Chile & Venezuela.
KMNO 91.7FM Journey Into Mystery with DJ Stealth in Maui, HI played “Cosmic Orchestra” on April 22, 2021.
Press
Hypnagogue Podcast – John Shanahan
I’ve been taking some very deep dives into the latest release from Sensitive Chaos, “Closer to Home.” Jim Combs and friends keep upping the ante, album after album, and this one sets a very high bar. Rich and beautiful throughout, with a jazz edge that’s smooth as good bourbon and funky grooves to spare. With an amazing array of musicians at his side, Combs has crafted a set of tracks that demand you just leave it on repeat. One of the year’s best. Go get this. I’ll have a track from it on an upcoming show.
Jazz Weekly – George Harris
IF BRIAN ENO WERE A JAZZER…
Sounds, directions and ideas cut from the cloth of Brian Eno are taken to the next logical level in the hands of leader Jim Combs, who leads his ten piece band through a two disc collection of rehearsals and improvisations that have been reworked put through a clever series of loopings, splicings and re-orchestrations. Combs himself plays keyboards and drum machines, contributing some poetry and field recordings to team up with his intuitive collective of Tom Carleno/g, Brian Donohoe/ts-cl-fl-key, Brian Good/ss, Paul Nagle/synth, Josie Quick/vi, Giles Reaves/synth-dr-perc, Mitchell Sosebee/dr-perc, Ryan P. Taylor/g-b and Diane Arkenstone/voc.
As you can tell by the roster, there is a predominance of electronics and rhythmic instrumentation, but the never over-power the directives, rather they create a palpable mix of gentle pulsations and soundscapes for the melodic and dreamy solos.
For example, Taylor’s sinewy electric guitar and Donohoe’s soulful tenor sax veer around and over the gentle tropical and synthy groove of “Fauna Funk Fusion” while Good’s soprano delicately dances over the walking steps of “Backyard Limbo”. A lullaby-like piano delicately floats to the effects of “As Night Unfolds” whereas dreamscapes of keyboards and draperies give a static reflection on the meditative “Watching Embers Glow”. Gorgeous dimensions are created with an amalgam of juxtaposed sounds ranging from a church organ, breathy tenor sax and even motorcycle effects on the optimistic “Cosmic Orchestra” and spacey reflections serve as drapery for Arkenstone’s poetry before the rhythm team kicks in for a joyful gallop on “Snow Laughing Matter.”
Most of the pieces take their time to hold your hand through the journey, clocking in at a relaxed 6-9 minutes, with the exceptions being the easy paced funky feel delivered by the synths with sax-scapes created by the multi-layered Donohoe as he melds to the Asian motif on the cheerful 15-minute cruise “Fast Driving Open Road”, and the 30 minute wind chimed breeze of “Kimono My Bliss” that closes the album with a majestic and panoramic climax.
The 108 minute album can successfully serve as creating a ruminating mood for a lonely soul in search of a spiritual retreat, or can work just as well as for being a soundtrack for a cruise away from the city with the top down and the windows open. A musical Esalen Institute without the smell of the hot tubs.
One World Music – Steve Sheppard
I remember way back in 2011 Jim Combs contacting me with regard to the release of Seeker After Patterns, I felt back then he had something unique to give to the world of electronic music, and throughout the years that have passed since then, and with the release of this his vast new work entitled Closer To Home, it seems I was right.
Unique has been joined now by greatness, as this new release stands tall and proud and contains a fine array of added musicians to help the cause, take the opener for example, a fine mix of electronica meets Jazz and you have “Fauna Funk Fusion”. The brass section is impressive, Combs doubly so, and proves the symbiotic collaboration of a multi-instrumental nature works perfectly to gift us our first very classy offering.
The more traditional stamping ground of electronic mastery for Jim Combs can be found on the track “Snow Laughing Matter”, this was one of many personal favourites from the album, and includes the beautiful voice of Diane Arkenstone, and incorporating the single most inspired performance on keyboards by Combs, couple this with both Brian Good and Brian Donohoe with a fine brass construction, and you have a sublime winner of a piece.
We now go short form with the piece “Fort Hamilton Parkway – Prospect Park”, the footsteps create a sense of mystery and the wind rushes around us now, if there is one thing I appreciate it is the skill of capturing really good field recordings, it is something I adore in my musical compositions as well. Here the Crow plays with the wind, and the streams leads us onward forever, whilst above a plane flies into infinity, utter ambience and quite magical.
“Backyard Limbo” is our next port of call, the guitar of Tom Carleno features here and adds a nice texture to the piece, one that dances perfectly with the keyboards and drum machines of Combs. If you ever wanted an example of how to build and progress an arrangement, then this one is a perfect example of just how to do that.
On “Cosmic Tune-up” you have just that a field recording of an orchestra tuning up, but that does lead us perfectly into “Cosmic Orchestra”, one of the most ambient pieces off the album, and another favourite of mine. Utilising the talents of Josie Quick on Violin, Brian Donohoe on Tenor Sax and one heck of a crafted and sensitive performance on percussion by Mitchell Sosebee, you have a combination of greatness that manifests a smooth and really chilled composition.
One of the longest tracks on the album at just over the 15 minutes is “Fast Driving Open Road”, but not the longest; we shall save that until last. The tempo and style here is perfect, and reminds me in content of some of the early chill out music we used to hear from the Buddha Bar back in the day. This is really idyllic and without deliberately using a pun, right down Combs road, using for the first time synth king Paul Nagle and Ryan Taylor on Bass, Combs creates a truly quality long-form chilled arrangement of wonderful class and classic structures.
The title track is up next, and Closer to Home continues this wonderful weave of unique electronic music ambience and creative vibes, to enthrall us with the tone and timbre in between the weave of the composition. The slow and mood filled beginning reminded me greatly of old UK EM band Code Indigo in parts, the synths here were simply amazing, as was the returning brass sections of Brian Good on Soprano Sax, this for me is what title tracks should all be about, the main canvas to illustrate the overall concept, and achieved brilliantly by Combs.
As we move into the deep waters of the release we come across an offering entitled “As Night Unfolds”. A wonderful subject to get ones musical teeth into so to speak, and Combs does that with such a delicate yet onward construction, that it literally lays itself open to the hours of darkness ahead. The collective element is strong here, and Combs the master narrator is in full musical bloom, in a radiance as bright as the moon itself.
The penultimate offering has a soft and soothing passage in its early stages and entitled “Watching Embers Glow”. Combs work is very pictorial and his story telling narrative and constructive artistic abilities are very compelling. This is one of those ambient constructs that I could literally listen to for hours, maybe even while embers are glowing upon a winter fire.
The curiously entitled “Kimono My Bliss” is the last doorway of the album, and one of the longest ending pieces I think I have ever heard at just over half an hour in duration. However that hovering intensity on keyboards by the artist is certainly scene setting and mood filled. The build and progression here is so wonderfully splendid that when we reach the half way marker of the track we literally feel lifted by Combs brilliant synths, and on its conclusion one will feel so soothed and calmed by its tones and peace filled vibes.
Closer to Home by Sensitive Chaos is easily the best body of work the artist has thus far created; surrounding himself with a fine array of classy musicians has helped created a field of vision within this album that is utterly vast and deeply compelling. Closer to Home by Sensitive Chaos is the complete deal of an album, it is a recording that will sit in the annals of musical time, as the artist’s seminal piece in the industry, it is that good.
Mainly Piano – Kathy Parsons
https://mainlypiano.com/reviews/sensitive-chaos-closer-to-home
Closer To Home is the eleventh album from Atlanta-based musical collective, Sensitive Chaos, but I have to admit that it’s the first for me – an incredible discovery! Founded and fronted by composer/synthesist/producer Jim Combs, the album also features Ryan P. Taylor (guitars and bass), Josie Quick (violin), Brian Good (sax), Mitchell Sosebee (drums and percussion), and Brian Donohoe (sax, clarinet, flute and keyboards). Guest artists include Diane Arkenstone (spoken word), Tom Carleno (12-string guitar), Paul Nagle (synth and sound effects) and Giles Reaves (synth, drums and percussion). The album is available as a two-CD set that includes a booklet with photos and information about the music and the artists; the album can also be streamed and/or downloaded. The two halves of the project are quite different from each other. The first seven tracks are varied in style and instrumentation, often very rhythmic and always fascinating. The last four tracks are much more ambient and atmospheric. Sensitive Chaos’ homepage describes the music as upbeat instrumental, down-tempo, ambient electronic, and world-influenced.
Sensitive Chaos’ process for creating music is quite unusual. Quoting their website: “For many, music is composed, recorded, and then performed. For Sensitive Chaos, music is composed live, from scratch, in front of an audience, and then brought back to the studio to arrange and record. The songs hope to convey the result of one form of spontaneously composed electronic music, music literally in the ether until it falls like rain through our fingers…. A core component of Sensitive Chaos compositions is live looping improvisation.”
The album begins with “Fauna Funk Fusion.” Originally mostly percussion, this version includes guitars, saxes, violin, bass, keyboards and various drums and percussion. The strong and infectious beat drives a danceable fusion of jazz/world/rock styles that is musically complex yet fun to listen to. “Snow Laughing Matter” features Diane Arkenstone quoting a short poem by Jim Combs at the beginning and end. In between, a variety of driving rhythms and musical themes weave together to create an intriguing tapestry of sounds and instrumentation. “Fort Hamilton Parkway” is built on “found sound field recordings” from a New York subway station in 1984. Footsteps, birds, ambient sounds and a train are the “instrumentation” for this one. “Backyard Limbo” has a swirling Latin feeling with infectious rhythms and a carefree spirit. Most of the collaborating musicians played on this track. “Cosmic Tune-up” is an otherworldly one-minute “field recording” of an orchestra preparing the instruments for performance. “Cosmic Orchestra” follows with a dreamy and (mostly) ambient mix of atmospheric keyboards, drum machines and percussion, sax and violin. “Fast Driving Open Road” is my favorite track. At 15 1/2 minutes, it has plenty of time to evolve and explore different musical directions, but it’s not the longest track on the album. With lots of bass and percussion propelling the other instrumentation, the pace is warm and relaxed with a happy, carefree spirit.
The second half of the album begins with the title track, a very slow, ambient yet rhythmic piece that shimmers mysteriously as it hypnotizes. The calming yet magical “As Night Unfolds” will likely reduce your blood pressure at least a few points, but it’s never boring! “Watching Embers Glow” was composed during a live performance and is all Jim Combs and his keyboards. The very slow movement of the piece suggests the gradual change in color of a dying fire and is equally as mesmerizing. The last track on the album is the 30-minute “Kimono My Bliss,” which was recorded live on the “Kimono My House” concert series last year. Also all Combs, twinkling glass chimes sparkle against the dark “spacey” background, taking listeners on a journey of their own choosing.
This amazing double album is available from Amazon, Bandcamp, Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify and more. Don’t miss it!
ARTSATL.org
Closer to Home, the 11th release from the Atlanta-based musical collective Sensitive Chaos, finds bandleader Jim Combs and his smorgasbord of collaborators once more charting bold, experimental terrains in the world of instrumental music. One can hear touches of the Pat Metheny Group’s ethereal modernism, Tangerine Dream’s synthetic future-scapes and King Crimson’s tonal density. But those are only the guideposts on a journey into a realm of stylistically fluid originality.
Sensitive Chaos’ diverse sound is the brainchild of Combs, the band’s keyboardist and producer, who attributes his creativity to the free-form radio programming he listened to when he was younger. “When FM radio was starting, there really weren’t any genres,” he says. “There was just music. It wasn’t so pigeonholed. You’d get a fusion jazz next to a prog cut next to a rock cut next to a singer-songwriter, and it all kind of blurred together.”
Despite originating from one man’s creative vision, Combs points out that his primary role is in creating the lush musical backdrops that provide a stage for his soloists. “My thing is to start with sequencers and synthesizers and get this rhythmic bed happening. Once I get that edited and in place, then I start to add the collaborators and they bring their own point of view to it.”
Those collaborators run a wide gamut, from such Sensitive Chaos alumni as violinist Josie Quick and guitarist/bassist Ryan P. Taylor, to multi-instrumentalist Brian Donohoe of Snarky Puppy fame. The result? Tracks that sound remarkably cohesive while never setting foot squarely in one identifiable genre.
The opening track, “Fauna Funk Fusion,” begins with distorted, effects-heavy acid guitar reminiscent of Sonny Sharrock set against a mercilessly snaky bass line. “Backyard Limbo” lays down lush, Afro-Caribbean grooves and vapor-wave ambiance as the backdrop for soaring saxophone lines. And through it all are odd transitional moments like “Fort Hamilton Parkway” to help maintain the sense of mystery, reminding us that this is intentionally a journey without a destination.
Conceptually, Closer to Home is a spiritual successor and response of sorts to the group’s previous album. “I had done an album called Walking a Beautiful World,” Combs says. “I had done a tour around the world and gotten really influenced by being in Africa, in Europe, Japan and the Philippines, and in America. So that album was all about ‘the world,’ and this album was kind of a follow-up to that. That album was such a big production that I was really trying to do something simpler.”
Initially that simple plan was to pull the album’s tracks from a series of local gigs featuring the group’s core members (hence the title) but would later evolve into a much larger production.
The Sensitive Chaos creative process is a hybridization of live recordings and electronic sequencing that straddles the gap between wild improvisation and structural rigidity with the initial ideas for Closer to Home cultivated from recordings of live performances. “What started out being a 30-minute ambient jam and then a 30-minute [midi] sequenced jam became 10 minutes of each,” Combs says. “And then I add the collaborators on top of it.”
Like most performing musicians, the members of Sensitive Chaos have felt the burn of the COVID lockdown and the anticipation of wanting to return to a live setting. Combs admits that the pandemic played a role in Closer to Home’s overall punch. “People are really chomping at the bit to get out again and as soon as we get our shots, be able to be around people and find a venue where we can come together. I think there’s going to be a huge outpouring of support from live audiences,” Combs says. “People realized ‘I’ve lost a piece of my life.’”
With the prospect of a post-COVID world looming ever closer, it seems increasingly likely that Sensitive Chaos will return to the stage sooner rather than later. Until that blessed day comes, Closer to Home will thrill fans of instrumental, highly improvisatory music.
https://www.artsatl.org/the-pandemic-added-a-strong-punch-to-the-new-album-by-sensitive-chaos/
Rock Era Magazine included “Snow Laughing Matter” in their Issue #8 Latest Indies list. http://www.rockeramagazine.com/mag/index.php/articles/music-reviews/music/item/3384-issue-8-latest-indies
Liner Notes
Building on a massively successful 15-year run of worldwide airplay, live concerts, and festival appearances – as well as multiple award considerations from Zone Music Reporter and One World Music Radio to the Grammys – Sensitive Chaos proudly presents its 11th release: Closer to Home.
Sensitive Chaos is an ever-changing musical collective founded and led by composer/synthesist/producer Jim Combs. For this outing, Jim was backed by Sensitive Chaos alums Ryan P. Taylor on guitars and bass, Josie Quick (Perpetual Motion) on violin, Brian Good on soprano saxophone, Mitchell Sosebee on drums and percussion, and newcomer Brian Donohoe (Snarky Puppy, Progger, One O’Clock Jazz Band) on alto & tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute, and keyboards.
Among the guest artists on various tracks: World-renowned Diane Arkenstone on spoken word, Tom Carleno (Perpetual Motion) on 12-string guitar, Paul Nagle (Binar, Joint Intelligence Committee, Ideation, and Headshock) on synthesizers and sound effects, and famed New Age artist Giles Reaves on synthesizers, drums, & percussion.
True to the Sensitive Chaos creative process, Closer to Home began life as a series of looping improvisations recorded during rehearsals and performances at the Atlanta-based Nophest Festivals, Oakhurst Porchfest Festivals, and online virtual shows on Kimono My House during the 2020 pandemic.
These live foundations were brought back to the studio for arrangement and orchestration, followed by remote contributions from the various guest musicians, with Jim editing and mixing the final results.
The result is a 108-minute double CD with music that strides across the musical worlds of ambient, world, electronic, jazz, found sound, and downtempo chillout.
A Different Approach
The last Sensitive Chaos album, 2018’s Walking a Beautiful World, took three years and countless live and studio hours to create and assemble. It was an ambitious, wonderful project, well rewarded by a first-round listing for the Grammy Awards as well as Best Electronic Album nominations from Zone Music Reporter and One World Music Radio – but the long and arduous path to the release took a real toll on Jim.
Closer to Home was going to be a little different. Jim’s original plan was to simply capture several live improvised performances, just as he always started new Sensitive Chaos albums. This time, though, Jim elected to start with a trio rather than alone, creating the basic live tracks with the aid of bandmates Ryan Taylor and Mitchell Sosebee and then further developing them in the studio.
From the Stage to the Studio
After a promising trial run in June 2018 at the Atlanta Synthesizer Club Showcase, Jim, Ryan, and Mitch began collecting material for the new record at a series of 2018 and 2019 gigs. The trio’s gig as one of over 200 bands at the Oakhurst Porchfest in October 2018 yielded six basic tracks that were developed in early 2019 (with added bass and guitar from Ryan) and resulted in the album tracks “Closer to Home”, “Backyard Limbo”, and “Cosmic Orchestra”.
Next up were live sets by the trio at the Nophest Music Festival in May 2019 and by Jim and Mitch at the next Oakhurst Porchfest in October 2019, followed by a round of remote performances in late 2019 from Josie Quick (violin), Tom Carleno (guitar), and Brian Good (soprano saxophone). Their tracks came back in early 2020 – and then came the pandemic…
Working from his home studio, Jim added more tracks via four solo performances in March-May 2020 on Kimono My House, a new “virtual house concert” series established by Andy Gish and Kim Ware on Facebook. By this time, the number of potential tracks for the album had swelled to a whopping 23 choices, some based on material reaching back to the 1980s.
Icing on the Cake
The rest of 2020 was devoted to filling out and tightening up the album, which received:
- more bass and guitar from Ryan and new synthesizer and sequencer work from Jim over June and July;
- an August reading of Jim’s poem for the track “Snow Laughing Matter” by his favorite inspirational musician Diane Arkenstone;
- contributions to six album tracks by founding Snarky Puppy saxophonist and keyboardist Brian Donohoe throughout September and October; and
- synthesizer work from Paul Nagle for “Fast Driving Open Road” and synthesizer solo and percussion for “Fauna Funk Fusion” from Giles Reaves in December.
Final overdubs from Brian, Josie, and Mitchell, followed by final mixing, brought the album to completion in the early months of 2021, capped off with mastering by Greg Wright in March.
And this was supposed to be “the easier album”!
Reaction
“When I saw ‘Sensitive Chaos’, I knew I was in for something special. Enjoyed listening to the album ‘Closer To Home’, love the concept, colours and sounds. Stunning compositions and arrangements, congratulations!”
– Wouter Kellerman, 2014 Grammy Award winner and 2015 Grammy nominee
“…and I will be playing more each week until I’ve played them all. Fantastic album, by the way!”
– Mike Hunter, WPRB 103.3FM Music with Space
“This is a great release. It’s all there !!!”
– Andy Blossy, KUAC 89.9FM Nightlight
“I just finished sitting in my living room and listening to Closer to Home in its entirety. Nice recording! Having never heard of Sensitive Chaos I didn’t really have any expectations other than that it would be a synth-driven work. I was surprised and delighted by the multi-instrumental layering and by some of the comparisons it brought to mind. Comparisons are of course inevitable. I didn’t think of Tangerine Dream aside from the fact that there are no fat pulsing arpeggios (which I have to say I like) but more of Mark Isham’s ‘Vapor Drawings” and “Tibet”, perhaps a bit of Pat Metheny’s “As Wichita Falls…”, Eno’s “Atmospheres and Soundtracks”, David Torn’s “Cloud About Mercury” and even Ulrich Schnauss’ “Far Away Trains…” just to name a few things that ran through my mind. “Kimono My Bliss” kinda sorta reminded me of Klaus Schulze’s “Mirage”.”
– Kirk Reynolds, KBRP 96.1 FM The Quantum Soup
“Your timing is perfect, meaning sending this on a Sunday as I had some time to sit with a cup of coffee and read your liner notes. Opening the folder with the super detailed liner notes was a treat for me. I just finished reading the entire booklet. I personally miss well written liner notes! I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the improvised feel of the tracks. It gives them a lightness not found in highly programmed pieces.”
– Dominic Castelli, KXCI 91.3FM Elysian Fields