Artist: Tidal/Chaos as Shelter/Igor Krutogolov Title: "Ingathering of Exiles" Catalog #: GF024 Series: II Total Time: 66'25" Release Date: April 14, 2003

01: inner babylon ..... 4'54"
02: exile ..... 14'52"
03: the third temple ..... 7'16"
04: ingathering of exiles ..... 5'11"
05: the lost tribes ..... 6'48"
06: haskalah ..... 8'11"
07: resurrection ..... 8'48"
08: blow! ..... 9'18"

reviews

Tidal is David Brownstead, previously known for his harsh noise project 666 Volt Battery Noise. Now focusing on minimal ambient music, David has released CDs under the name Tidal on Alluvial Recordings and just recently on Manifold Records. "The Four Rivers" on Alluvial, is the first installment in what is to be a trilogy dedicated to and inspired by Mishima. "Golem And Man" on A Pyrrhic Victory/Manifold is his latest release which was released in October 2002. The second installment of the Mishima trilogy is in the works as well as other releases and collaborations.

Conceived in 1999, Vadim Gusis (Chaos as Shelter) is Israel's premier solo composer of Soundscape, Neo-Folk, Ambient Drone music...He currently has three CDr releases, one 3" CDr, 2 CDs, a double CD and a 7" record in his discography. He works out of New Jerusalem Studio.

Igor Krutogolov is an experimental multi-instrumentalist (including cello,piano and throat singing) based in Jaffa, Israel. He is a frequent contributor to Chaos As Shelter as well as various other projects in genres ranging from ambient to improvisation to harsh noise. His solo work has appeared on various compilations and he is currently working on upcoming solo and collaborative releases.Historically "The Ingathering of Exiles" is when, in the Messianic age, all Jewish people, including the Ten Lost Tribes, would gather from their exile around the world to Israel. The Ground Fault Recordings CD, "Ingathering of Exiles" is an idea that explores the shared heritage of the three collaborators.

REVIEWS

• Tucked under the usual recording credits in the booklet of "Ingathering of Exiles" are these two sentences: "Listen in a dark room at average volume. Your soul might hurt, not your ears." And indeed this collaboration between Tidal and the Jerusalem-based artists Chaos as Shelter (aka Vadim Gusis) and Igor Krutogolov relies on subtle textures and sound evocations instead of harsh noise. Conceived as one continuous suite, the album combines post-industrial drones (treated electric guitar and cymbals?) with a certain essence of Jewish music through the appearance of a plaintive violin in some pieces ("Haskalah" and "Blow!" in particular). Other discernible musical features include bells (or Tibetan bowls?) and voice. The latter is a low male drone that gives the music a dark, almost Gothic mood. The whole album sounds like a post-industrial complaint. These drones weep, they tell a story of worlds dreamed and lives lost. The sobs of the violin and the humming voices (like ghosts haunting a deserted battlefield, crying on the stupidity of the human kind) conjure up such a powerful form of sadness that the album becomes difficult to bear. And yet, the music exerts a twisted fascination on the listener. Some of the good ideas come back too often -- the album may had more impact had it been 15 minutes shorter -- but as it stands, "Ingathering of Exiles" delivers a disturbing listen, the kind you will remember for a long time. - François Couture, All Music Guide