Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, experimental, cinematographic, psychedelic.

Background/Info: Sum Of R is a Swiss duo set up by Reto Mäder (RM74) and joined by Fabio Costa. They’re now active for 10 years and have released a few productions. “Orga” is their first album released on Cyclic Law, which definitely sounds as a consecration for Sum Of R.

Content: “Orga” sounds not as a typical dark-ambient release. Sum Of R are mixing different influences with each other moving from pure cold and wet cellar music towards a more evasive format of dark music. They even experiments with psychedelic elements this way transforming their sound into a more cinematographic approach. Some pass       ages are pretty space-like while others have been carried by real percussion parts.

+ + + : The unusual result of this work is an aspect I especially like for its creative approach. Sum Of R feels comfortable with different influences and I especially enjoyed the psychedelic approach on cuts like “Hypnotic State”, but especially “After The Passing Of Risk”. In a more classical dark-ambient format “Desmonema Annasethe” is another track I highly recommend.

– – – : Next to a few brilliant tracks this album unfortunately also reveals a few cuts without real interest. I guess that’s often what you can expect from an album, but the gap between ‘great’ cuts and ‘poorly’ inspired cuts is too important.

Conclusion: “Orga” is an album I’ll keep in mind for its atypical approach, revealing artists who’re going further than the classical dark-ambient format.

Best songs: “After The Passing Of Risk”, “Desmonema Annasethe”, “Light & Dust”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.sumofr.ch / www.facebook.com/sumofr

Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw

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Switzerland’s dark ambient act Sum Of R (led by Reto Mäder and accompanied by Fabio Costa) sees its new “Orga” album released on the fine label Cyclic Law. Sum Of R is known to create slow moving instrumental sonics with a sensibility for hypnotic and complex song structures.

On “Orga” you’ll get a mix of raw-boned melodies and repetitive mantras generated by ritual drums and eerie percussions, atmospheric analog electronics and drones.

The new album will be out on CD, double vinyl and as a download. You can order the different formats of this album right here. Below you can stream/download the album itself. Recommended!

Sum Of R was formed in 2008 by Reto Mäder and released its self-titled debut album in 2008. Following the 2012 EP “Ride out the Waves” on the Italian label Storm As He Walks and contributions on two compilations Sum of R’s second full-length “Lights on Water” was released in December 2013.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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