Preparation

Gareth Mitchell's first solo effort, unsurprisingly, has a general sonic connection to Amp and their fellow travelers, but it is very much its own particular kind of approach that will appeal to both fans of that group and of instrumental ambient/rock combinations in equal measure. Using digital delay loops, heavily treated guitar parts, and a general air of foggy and isolated wilderness courtesy of the cover art, Mitchell on Preparation often comes close to the chilled doom of erstwhile Amp producer Robert Hampson of Main. Certainly the circular feedback rhythms of "Cathode Cataract" and "Treehouse" readily call the Firmament series of albums to mind. Then there's the looming murk of "Where Regrets End," which starts like a Lull track circa Cold Summer, and "Building the Mirror of the Stars," where a combination of drone howls and spindly guitar plucks call to mind vast spaces and infinite voids. However, it's not perhaps quite so cold or so completely minimal all the time, with just enough warmth in the overall sound and production to result in something as enveloping as it is unnerving. Certainly the sudden interjections of sheer white noise on "Places Where the Mind Dies" will keep listeners from completely drifting away. While Karine Charff isn't providing any vocals, Mitchell himself does a surprisingly good job himself at the few points where there is singing, sometimes quietly and at other points suddenly turning into a near equivalent to Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance. "Where Regrets End," in particular, showcases both, his singing and quiet strumming a fine counterbalance to the doomy moans in the background. The concluding "The Spirit Leaves the Body" features the one guest performance on the album, where Andy Revell contributes fairly unobtrusive bass to bring Preparation to a low-key conclusion.