Tomu - Lonesome Valley (2021)

No tricks ambient bliss-out from a new lamb, Tomu arriving light on the mind and skin with their lovely debut EP - RIYL AFX’s SAW II, Claire Rousay, Ulla

Gracing the American Dreams Records label run by Jordan Reyes, Tomu’s first mark leaves a very delicate but memorable impression, like a scent or changing of weather fronts that leaves one feeling light headed and wondering why. For 37 minutes they trade in a music of meditative inference, using the gentlest strokes oh whispering melody recalling AFX’s SAW II beauties in the quietly unmissable 14’ of sublime loner ambience on ‘Sunrise,’ and before betaking in iridescent timbral tingles on ‘take What You Will,’ and working at tip-of-tongue levels of sensitivity in ‘Unexpected Metamorphosis.’

It’s perhaps all a welcome change from the more frayed low-key spectacles of the neo-ambient set of vapourwavers, and more simply happy to dwell on and extend the moment to the horizon without their attention wandering off, although saving some surprises for the quiet/loud dynamics of ‘富む.’

One to check.