My thoughts on "lost links" by Max Corbacho

Sensual and seductive. Two words that do not spring immediately to mind when seeking to describe an ambient release but ones that make sense... at least to me... when used to describe “lost links” by Max Corbacho from the Relaxed Machinery label.

Before I explain... please indulge me in a wee story: I have a deep love for Vangelis’ soundtrack to “Blade Runner”. I have a number of copies of it and only recently found a bootleg that presents the existing music plus unreleased incidental music in chronological sequence. I can’t express how much I love this album. Part of my love for it comes from the fact it is indelibly linked to the early days of my relationship to my wife, Olly. We’ve been together for 20 years and married for 15... and in the formative years of our relationship the “Blade Runner” soundtrack was a regular feature on the hi-fi when we were together. It is therefore blessed with some wonderful memories and spiritual connections.

So when I refer to “lost links” as being sensual and seductive it is because it has something of the quality of Vangelis’ soundtrack to it. When I listened to it for the first time I made this association and haven’t yet broken it... and doubt I ever will or even need to.

This is not to say Corbacho’s album doesn’t stand on its own... of course it does. It is a truly splendid slice of richly seductive and appealing ambient somascape... in fact, if I was to describe it as ’just beautiful’ I feel I would be doing it and Corbacho a disservice. It is exquisite. I truly love it and could easily consider it a successor for the “Blade Runner” soundtrack in terms of that seductive, ’go to’ quality when I need something warm and sensual to curl up to.

The album features seven tracks that varying in length from nearly 6 minutes to a delightfully longform 16 minutes.

Each track features the most languid and sublimely downbeat somascapes. Corbacho’s use of synths is my kind of wonderful... there is almost an organic, earthy feel to his playing as if this is actually what “space” or “place” sounds like. His mimicking of the unforced rhythms of nature is inspired... and gives this release it's soul... it's feeling.

This is one album that I would struggle to pick out any particular track for specific mention... each track coexists together on this album... sequenced in a such a manner that it draws me in and just feels right.

I guess this is crux of my thoughts on this release... I feel it. It is truly a masterpiece of sensual music-making. It is also exemplary of the power and magic of ambient music... the way it lightens my mood and enhances all that is around me without being overly precious about my complete concentration.

This is head music, yes... it provides space to think and to observe... but it is more... it is body music... it is something that can only be felt within... and whilst this is hard to explain and to extrapolate further, it is how it is for me.

I would recommend you take the time to immerse yourself in this release... soak in it and soak it in. Only then will you really get what I mean... “lost links” by Max Corbacho needs to be felt and experienced as much as it needs to be heard.

In fact, if I may be so bold, I would go so far as to say it needs to be shared with that special someone... this is an album that those extra-special connections can be made with... it has the potential to be ’that’ go-to album.

The irony is... according to Corbacho:

"All these pieces were created to appear on previously published albums. For various reasons, they were not included, and remained in my archives. I usually do not delete any of my pieces; I know that, at some point, simply because of the passing of time, they acquire a special character, and their time to be revealed appears."

I'm so glad he compiled them into this one album. Recommended.


Tx