These days, ambient music can come from anywhere, and England has been a particularly rich source for significant atmospheric and electronic music. But it was still a bit surprising for one of the most popular and productive electronic bands of the last 20 years to emerge from the 19th century industrial city of Manchester, a former textile center in the English midlands with a checkered history going back to Roman times. Today, it's a growing, cosmopolitan city considered second only to London, and the home of MARCONI UNION.
Starting as the duo of RICHARD TALBOT and JAMIE CROSSLEY in 2002, they became a trio in 2010 with the addition of keyboardist DUNCAN MEADOWS. In 18 years they've produced what they describe (with typical understatement) as "an explorative body of instrumental work that's shifted between electronica, dub, minimalism, avant-jazz and ambient music." It's also subtle, beautiful, melancholy, serene, occasionally dark and sinister, and thoroughly enjoyable music.
With the release of their 10th album in 2019, we thought it was high time to take a look back. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, A MARCONI UNION RETROSPECTIVE.
We'll focus on their ambient, electronic and minimalist work, starting with their second album DISTANCE, from 2005, and continuing with ambient explorations from BEAUTIFULLY FALLING APART, DIFFERENT COLOURS, WEIGHTLESS—rated "the most relaxing music ever" by neuroscientists--and their latest, DEAD AIR, from 2019.
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