Much of La Ola Interior (Spanish Ambient & Acid Exoticism 1983-1990) feels remarkably modern for a collection of pieces produced in the mid to late ‘80s. Ambient as a style had become fairly well-established by the time many artists included in this compilation recorded their works. However, as the century drew to a close, a significant shift was occurring in the US and Japan towards the New Age genre. These Spanish artists were engaging in more avant-garde experiments.
La Ola Interior traverses various stylistic realms. It features sorrowful drones, classic analog synth explorations, dispassionate chants, field recordings, and even some more rhythmically inclined pieces. What brings them together is a distinct DIY ethos and a compelling demand for your focus.
Typically, ambient music is crafted to blend into the background. It “should be as easily ignored as it is engaging,” as noted by Brian Eno. While some selections on La Ola Interior might function as background music, the majority invite attentive listening. The atmosphere is derived from its captivating textures and cycles, rather than its capacity to be overlooked.
The initial piece by Miguel A. Ruiz, “Transparent,” centers around a short loop that resembles a piano sound. It’s enveloped in aliased distortion, indicating it’s produced by a low-bitrate sampler. The progression resembles a reverse of William Basinski’s Disintegration Loops. The haunting, loop builds up slowly, layering more sounds until it reaches a thick crescendo that abruptly cuts out.
This swiftly transitions into Camino al Desván’s “La Contorsión de Pollo”, evocative of Tangerine Dream at reduced speed. Finis Africae’s “Hybla” melds Krautrock with Spanish and Arabic folk traditions, achieving a rhythmic and catchy quality that feels perfectly poised next to Orfeón Gagarin’s drumless “Última instancia.” Other tracks, like Javier Segura’s “Malagueñas 2,” lean more towards orchestral, almost epic influences — a sonic journey of unresolved heroism.
Several contributors appear multiple times, offering insight into their roles within this varied and loosely connected realm. You can discern which artists are rooted in more classical musical traditions (Finis Africae), who draw heavily from American minimalist composers (Segura), and which are nearly impossible to classify (Ruiz). Nonetheless, you also grasp the shared pursuit of sonic innovation that binds them.
Anthologies like La Ola Interior are crucial for safeguarding lesser-known creations from artists frequently overlooked by listeners in the US. The label Les Disques Bongo Joe produces various collections of this nature and is highly recommended to follow on Bandcamp.
La Ola Interior can be found on Bandcamp as well as on most streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, and YouTube Music.
