Ed Herbers - Confluence

 

Released: April 1 

Following up from last year’s Upper Atmosphere, Ed Herbers brings us a new album with a much more grounded theme. Over the course of five long-form tracks, Herbers engages us in a form of sem-guided meditation in order to find some kind of solace or peace in the rather extreme times we live. Each track is named in a manner that attempts to annotate the very feelings we desire as we are constantly pushed and pulled by forces beyond our personal control. Each track feels much the same in vibe but also strikingly different in execution. The opener, “Energy,” certainly brings the most energy as its name suggests. But at the same time, it has a very full sound to it that acts almost like a sponge for all that anxiety-inducing cynicism we seem to experience so much of. It feel like the introduction that non-verbal instructs us to turn off our brain for a moment and truly disconnect. 

I don’t think there’s any particular order you must listen to these tracks in, nor do you really have to listen to them all at once. But the gentle quietness and calm presence of each track can serve as its own min-meditation for a roughly fifteen-minute disconnect. I found two tracks in particular really great for this - “Serenity” and “Sanctuary.” The latter is arguably my favorite of the two with its airy approach to the sound. It feels less like a wall or a wave and more like a gentle mist that swirls around me. It has what I think is the quietest approach, swelling up to various degrees and retreating back to its airy drone with a particular regularity resembling the slowest of breaths. The former keeps a similar vibe but much more icy and with a particularly vocal quality that accompanies the cold and foggy pad swells. Equally calming and cool, but the cold quality of it is striking. 

Confluence is a truly wonderful meditative experience. I enjoyed the album from start to finish and highly recommend it for anyone looking for something to calm. Along with the longform tracks, Herbers has also included some shorter versions of the same tracks in the same order at the end of the original five. They are equally soothing, but for those who need a little bit more truncated experience.