Originally Published in Muzik Zirkus
In September 2024
Text by Stephan Schelle
Read the original article in German here.
Alex Henry Foster – A Measure Of Shape And Sounds
(10 pieces, 43:24 minutes playing time)
Canadian Alex Henry Foster gave a terrific concert at the final Night Of The Prog on July 19, 2024. His latest album, “A Measure Of Shape And Sounds,” which he recorded without his band, will be released on September 20, 2024. It is available digitally, as well as on LP and CD. I had the CD version for review, which comes in a four-page paper sleeve that also contains a download code. The album is the second (after “Kimiyo”) to be released in 2024.
To better understand the ambient music, here is some information from his Bandcamp page:
After an extensive European tour in 2022, Foster had to undergo a double heart transplant in 2023, a procedure that was originally planned as a four-hour procedure but developed into a ten-hour, life-threatening tour de force. Although the procedure was successful, the long intubation period after the operation, along with the blood transfusions required, had a devastating effect on Foster because, in addition to his fragile physical condition, he was unable to speak for months and did not know if he would be able to sing in the future, and the significant blood loss resulted in severe memory impairment, poor coordination, dizziness and severe headaches, making it impossible for him to read, write, play guitar or look at a screen. For someone who is normally always in good spirits, he was now powerless.
As he slowly regained his strength, at least just enough to imagine using the few functional hours of his days, Foster contacted his friend and long-time creative accomplice Ben Lemelin (co-writer and multi-instrumentalist of his live band The Long Shadows) to help him with what initially seemed like a sort of positive recovery project, before realizing the ambitious scope of what Foster wanted to tackle and complete given his fragile physical and cognitive state.
“A Measure of Shape and Sounds,” which follows “Kimiyo,” is an intimate journey all its own, a deep personal breath-taking composed of multiple layers of guitar loops, reverb, resonances and oscillations, stitched together into a multi-directional, contemplative sonic swirl. Intentionally recorded live to capture the flow as directly as possible, the songs embodied their human disposition to not only surrender to the movement, but to become one with it in that very moment. Foster mentions: “It felt like the representation of an organic movement that could finally free us from the echo chamber we were trapped in, and thus end the emotional whirlwind and affective cycle of redundancy that all too often accompanies our emptiness and despair.”
The ten pieces included on the album have running times ranging from 2:31 to 7:51 minutes. It begins with the 2:47 minute “Thoughtful Descent”. Gentle harmonies start this track, which wafts through the room like a veil of sound. It is intimate and exudes an immense calm. The guitar conjures up flat layers, introduces a melody line and also sets accentuated sound points.
The 3:43 minute “Mechanical Revision” continues this gentle mood. The sounds bubble along and trigger a pleasant, melancholic mood. And the other two pieces are structured in the same way.
The 2:31 minute “Self-Portrait” also bubbles along, but also has some dark sounds at the beginning (they come back later), which makes this track different from the previous ones. It is exciting.
“Sorrowful Bouquet” (6:42 minutes) starts quite gently, but increases as it goes on, with Alex Henry Foster creating droning sounds that seem quite threatening and surreal. This is followed by the quieter, 2:35 minute “Manic View”, which calms you down a bit. There are three more pieces that follow that move in the same direction.
I have to admit that after the concert at the Loreley, I expected different music from Alex Henry Foster. But the ambient moods he conjures up, which often sound similar, are astonishing. You can easily imagine the time after his serious operation and lose yourself in these sound worlds. The album is also highly recommended to all electronic music fans who are enthusiastic about ambient music.
To better understand the ambient music, here is some information from his Bandcamp page:
After an extensive European tour in 2022, Foster had to undergo a double heart transplant in 2023, a procedure that was originally planned as a four-hour procedure but developed into a ten-hour, life-threatening tour de force. Although the procedure was successful, the long intubation period after the operation, along with the blood transfusions required, had a devastating effect on Foster because, in addition to his fragile physical condition, he was unable to speak for months and did not know if he would be able to sing in the future, and the significant blood loss resulted in severe memory impairment, poor coordination, dizziness and severe headaches, making it impossible for him to read, write, play guitar or look at a screen. For someone who is normally always in good spirits, he was now powerless.
As he slowly regained his strength, at least just enough to imagine using the few functional hours of his days, Foster contacted his friend and long-time creative accomplice Ben Lemelin (co-writer and multi-instrumentalist of his live band The Long Shadows) to help him with what initially seemed like a sort of positive recovery project, before realizing the ambitious scope of what Foster wanted to tackle and complete given his fragile physical and cognitive state.
“A Measure of Shape and Sounds,” which follows “Kimiyo,” is an intimate journey all its own, a deep personal breath-taking composed of multiple layers of guitar loops, reverb, resonances and oscillations, stitched together into a multi-directional, contemplative sonic swirl. Intentionally recorded live to capture the flow as directly as possible, the songs embodied their human disposition to not only surrender to the movement, but to become one with it in that very moment. Foster mentions: “It felt like the representation of an organic movement that could finally free us from the echo chamber we were trapped in, and thus end the emotional whirlwind and affective cycle of redundancy that all too often accompanies our emptiness and despair.”
The ten pieces included on the album have running times ranging from 2:31 to 7:51 minutes. It begins with the 2:47 minute “Thoughtful Descent”. Gentle harmonies start this track, which wafts through the room like a veil of sound. It is intimate and exudes an immense calm. The guitar conjures up flat layers, introduces a melody line and also sets accentuated sound points.
The 3:43 minute “Mechanical Revision” continues this gentle mood. The sounds bubble along and trigger a pleasant, melancholic mood. And the other two pieces are structured in the same way.
The 2:31 minute “Self-Portrait” also bubbles along, but also has some dark sounds at the beginning (they come back later), which makes this track different from the previous ones. It is exciting.
“Sorrowful Bouquet” (6:42 minutes) starts quite gently, but increases as it goes on, with Alex Henry Foster creating droning sounds that seem quite threatening and surreal. This is followed by the quieter, 2:35 minute “Manic View”, which calms you down a bit. There are three more pieces that follow that move in the same direction.
I have to admit that after the concert at the Loreley, I expected different music from Alex Henry Foster. But the ambient moods he conjures up, which often sound similar, are astonishing. You can easily imagine the time after his serious operation and lose yourself in these sound worlds. The album is also highly recommended to all electronic music fans who are enthusiastic about ambient music.
The Kantine is slowly filling up. Since the sky couldn’t quite decide on a weather pattern today and is more likely to use the notorious April weather on this summer evening, the organizers of the Kantine Cologne, in cooperation with the music magazine Visions, have moved the concert by Alex Henry Foster & The Long Shadows from the beer garden to the inside as a precaution. It is the crowning conclusion of a European tour that is very important for the band and especially for the frontman.
For the first time since his critical, ten-hour heart operation at the beginning of last year, Alex Henry Foster is finally able to stand on stage again this summer with his five bandmates and do what his heart beats for most – forgive the simplistic metaphor: music. It is clear that he is filled with gratitude and is practically overflowing with happiness. Here stands someone who celebrates life – together with his band and together with his fans. And he and the band have a lot of them! The fans are more than just fans, they form a real community with Alex Henry Foster & The Long Shadows with clear familial traits. They have traveled from all over today for this special final concert, which is also free. A loving gesture from the band that proves that the joy and gratitude are real and want to be shared.
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