Obelisk/Stelia’ is the latest release from Hessien on the Fluid Audio label, a combined effort with Handstitched resulting in a beautifully packaged strictly limited edition (200 copies only) release.

It is from start to finish a majestic effort, eight ambient pieces that sit together in almost seamless fashion. With a recurrent air of melancholy throughout the tracks grow in stature until you really get the feeling you should be looking at something impressive like a monolith or a Victorian exhibition of some kind (look, just bare with me right…its strangely visual). Maybe its a scale thing I guess, despite the fact that there is a complete absence of any percussive element on this collection you still perceive an element of dramatic build.

Tracks five through eight take on a little additional weight in the form of remixes from Solo Andata, Jasper TX, Zelienople and Konntinent. Additional structure becomes apparent on these tracks, synth washes loop in from the background and haunted voices and elements of bass sidle along the low end of the track laying out skeletal frameworks that work in a deliberately unfocused fashion.

The last track ‘Breaking Webs’ ventures into nimbler territory in its opening minutes. Slices of roughly hewn analogue noise are scattered over the surface of the track bringing an air of fidgety agitation to the piece before it gradually sinks into washes of coarse sound and vague melody underpinned by an effervescent drone. Its an interesting diversion to the collections overall sound and serves as a suitable exit point from the album.

Recommended.