Pan-American

Mark Nelson of Labradford fame has gone solo under the name Pan American. Splinters of whispers, chilly organs, faint hints of guitars, space-dub bass, and ratcheting electronic pings and blips recall early Aphex Twin, but the spacewalking sound is warmer, richer and more bewitching. Unlike Labradford, which at times can be a bit arch, Nelson brings things down to the point at which the music is an enveloping primordial ooze which lulls and pacifies. That's not to say it's boring; far from it. In fact, Nelson's adeptly structured sonic landscapes are lush, dense and intricate. Many of the tracks play on a similar theme, which makes them flow into one another with a calming seamlessness. In a further effort at sublime tranquillity, "Lake Supplies" utilizes a soothingly hypnotic hammer dulcimer for an additional mystic quality. Pan American is not something to put on when in search of a pick-me-up, but it makes for some of the best unwinding music around.