If I put in an electro/trip-hop album and the first sounds make me think of Pink Floyd a la Delicate Sound of Thunder, I get slightly nervous.

Why? Because their beats are some of the most overused in trip-hop.

However, when I then hear sounds reminiscent of Super Mario jumping from the old days of Nintendo, some random guy saying stuff like "the vehicle of abstract thought," and a nice set of strings in the background, I become intrigued.
…an ambient experience is the production of Robert J. Kaminek, Jr., a.k.a. Icecake, and it’s a compilation of work spanning 1996-2002. Based in Long Island, Icecake provides 7 tracks that truly are an ambient experience, but you need some patience. If you’re a dance/trip-hop fiend like myself, it might take some training to keep your feet from tapping and your ear straining for more beats. They do come, sometimes, but not until about 3/4 of the way through the track.

One can definitely imagine tracks like "Reality & You" and "Vertical Pines" providing great background movie music for plot involving ethereal and cathartic moments, and a bit of creepiness as well. "Vertical Pines," actually, morphs nicely from what sounds like muted guitars to a dark beat and bass to a pleasant classical tune. It’s the kind of track that can do without vocals, though it would be nice to hear them now and then. And yet, tracks like "Pour Vous" and "Fountains" are so peaceful and melodic that I’m likely to stick them in my disc player during a day at the spa. "On Soft Ground I Sleep" starts with the same tone, moving smoothly toward electric guitar strums that peak nicely and lead into the final track "The Astral Body." This is the only track that leaves something to be desired. The build-up is ever increasing and, as an ending track, I would have liked a bit more punch thrown in the mix. Overall, however, Icecake gives some scrumptious sounds and beautiful tonality.

Yasmin Tabi