Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe & Ariel Kalma - We Know Each Other Somehow

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe and Ariel Kalma have glued together their surefire passion for experimentation and knowledge of turning sound into trance induction, primarily by the means of synthesizers. The midpoint of their smooth creative morph is the empyreal We Know Each Other Somehow, a long EP released as the twelfth volume of the intergenerational collaboration project entitled FRKWYS.

The title of this release is an interesting hint which points out the unity between the two. On one hand, Kalma is a significant contributor in pioneering modularly synthesized electronic music, having traveled around the world with the purpose of growing as a musician as well as to explore different spiritual inclinations. He even happened to end up at the Parisian INA-GRM studio, in Pierre Henry's musique concrète laboratory. On the other hand, Lowe (also known by the moniker Lichens) emerged as an artist during the 90's. His story is a ''one thing leads to another'' kind. Going from promoting and organizing gigs in the forward thinking post-punk and post-hardcore scene to acting and composing soundtrack for film, Lowe's main outlook comes from his tidy modular synthesizer tent. Among many collaboration, a very distinct one consists of being involved with experimental drone metal group Om (read "Pilgrimage's review here.

We Know Each Other Somehow is halfway world music produced by two respected hikers on their endless road to discovering all rivers of inspiration. No wonder its sound reminds of a scrapbook filled with various moments collected in a vast and unplanned journey. Its beginning, ''Magick Creek'', clearly announces the close connection between nature and technology. Field recordings of forest sounds are poured along wind instruments, elements which continue to complement each other throughout the rest of the album. Voice is introduced by ''Mille Voix'' literally meaning ''thousand voices'', a world ambient track set up on meditative rhythms. ''Gongmo Kalma Lowe'' is an out of body experience, bringing together celestial sounds, hospital beeps and dim industrial sounds. From now on, the story proceeds to ''Strange Dreams'' in which fast breaths give an alarming tone to the overall detaching tranquility. Next track, ''Wasp Happening'' is like an antonym of ''Strange Dreams''. In the imaginary scrapbook, its title is written on the bottom of a Polaroid which captured a seemingly threatening event. The ending piece, ''Miracle Mile'' returns to the glaring wind instruments adorned by field recordings of birdsong and squishy synth loops.

Misha Hollenbach and Johann Rashid made a non-linear documentary of the recording process. ''Sunshine Soup'' illustrates the bond established between Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe and Ariel Kalma while putting together all of their knowledge and talent in creating this mutual itinerary of their unceasing travel.

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