JJ+JS - peeled

Trilogy Tapes and Motion Ward affiliates, John Jones and Jesse Sappell debut for Daisart with their second collaborative collection of fully immersive ambient drift. In a week in which we're also talking about the latest Ulla record, there's clearly no shortage of this kind of thing floating - an appropriate term - about, but there's something about peeled that got its hooks in me. The Motion Ward association situates Jones and Sappell within what we've previously chosen to label The New Ambient Movement (lol), a space equally shared by West Mineral and Experiences Ltd, and one that seems to call back to the turn of the century after hours serenity/minimalism of Mille Plateaux, Chain Reaction++ - all fine reference points for peeled, and on the surface tells you at the very least just about enough. But there's a quality to the Dasiart output that does feel gently poetic in its own unique way, unafraid to make gestures towards beauty and sentiment. If this is Lifestyle Ambient, then it's a very nuanced and thoughtfully crafted version thereof, the soft-focus electronics rendered ever more human when paired with ethereal guitar figures, the meeting point between Markus Popp and Pan American slowed to an endless daze. Positively escapist fair amidst these grey end of year/epoch days. Thought i'd had enough of this kind of thing, but alas... Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.