Gas

An ambient concert relies on a sense of immersion: one has to enter an almost meditative state, free of distractions, to feel properly entertained and moved by the music. Wolfgang Voigt’s performance as Gas is perhaps the purest live ambient gig that I’ve ever witnessed, wherein layers of synthesised sounds and pulsing beats were perfectly meshed with kaleidoscopic, mesmerisingly layered visuals of ethereal woodland scenes. Tones drifted in a river-like manner, with the more peaceful moments my personal highlights, although a loud crescendo thrilled in a different way. Although it was difficult to discern how much was actually played live on Voigt’s laptop in the continuous 65 minute long set, the beautiful visuals and expertly composed music coalesced into a stunning show.

Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, 8 October 2017
Rating:
Joe Fuller