Mark de Clive-Lowe has always impressed so when it comes to an album with the Impressive Collective, it's going to be.... impressive!
Over twenty years ago, as one of the first names outside of the UK that found broken beat, future jazz, hip hop and house combinations that constantly made records, particularly 12s with Lady Alma and Abdul Shyllon, the New Zealand wonder kid Mark de Clive-Lowe was the name eveyone wanted to drop.
At that time we'd have been unware of his Japanese connections and that he'd released solo albums in New Zealand before the move to London and then onto USA to study at Berklee College and then live in LA before moving to Japan. His undertakings are relentless and even includes spell running night clubs. So it may be a surprise that 'past present (tone poems across time)' as 11 tracks is more of an electronic ambient ENO style homage to Japan's spiritual reflectiveness; like water gardens on 'gratitiude' or 'reflection'; note: the cover is a photograph taken in 1953 of his dad, Robin de Clive-Lowe at Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima, Japan.
It's probably worth pointing out this wasn't that long after the end of WW2 and whilst MDCL recorded the album in LA with a cast of a 1000 keyboards and synths it also includes his own filed recordings from various locations iin Japan.
There's nothing to dance to here as the tracks have a certain brooding about them even with titles like 'acceptance', 'forgiveness', 'compassion' and 'peace' I was hoping the title track would prove to be a revelation (a title of a track also) but it adds to the cinematic OST theme. Don't get me wrong, this is a highly enjoyable album and its very Ryuichi Sakamoto but still a long way from the first album on the IMPRESS!VE Collective, Jessica Lauren's 'Film' (see review HERE).
There's extension liner notes by Mark himself and I did notice that he says the album was due in large part to the encouragment given to him by his friend Carlos Niño (he of 'Everyone's Children', AmmonContact, Build An Ark, Hu Vibrational, The Life Force Trio; you get the idea). And having met Carlos some years ago and spoken to him for a mere half an hour, I can tell you he'd be the most positive and encourging friend that Mark could have hoped for (along with label boss Greg Boraman).
Not everyone's cup of tea (drinking ceremony) but it is music for zen and now in a tone poem time capsule.
Artist: Mark de Clive-Lowe
Title: past present (tone poems across time)
Release date: 18th April, 2025
Label : IMPRESS!VE Collective (an imprint of BBE Music)
Catalog Number:BBE803
Format: Vinyl LP / Digital / Bandcamp
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