Describing his previous album, Times When I Know You’ll Watch The Sky, as, “Soothing. An electronic exploration in relaxation. A blueprint for aspiring ambient-electronic musicians.” And an, “…ode to all things of the natural world…”, for years now, Los Angeles, California-based electronic music producer, Francisco Dominguez has found solice in melding his love for his daughter, the natural world, and music, into his electronic passion project, Forest Robots.
His new album, After Geography, was made for these times, as a refection of this moment—as he sees it. In his own eloquent words, Fran has described his purpose and intention for this latest collection…
“With over 400 ascents and 6,000 miles of cross-country land hiked and climbed across California and the Pacific Northwest over the years, this album is, once again, informed and inspired by my experiences in the outdoors. After Geography focuses on life altering situations while traversing the mountains, when unexpected variables arise and, regardless of your preparation, you have only your intuition to guide you.
For the last few months, I have been reminded of such situations, and this past May I decided to document these experiences. Currently, there is so much information and disinformation about our current pandemic, social unrest and injustices, that at the end of the day you have only your intuition to guide you in making the right choices. I feel this current state of the world is very much on par with those life altering moments in the outdoors.
It is my hope with this album to provide a safe space to think more thoroughly about our personal choices and make decisions that are more deeply rooted in empathy and compassion.”
With those words in mind, we present to you, After Geography.
HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST…
Layers of airy, etheric synth fade in & out, back and forth across the set, as a subtle keys melody expresses one note at a time in the album’s opening track, A Detailed Cartography. There’s a very cinematic mystique here, and it all feels quite observational, reflective, quiet, still.
Of Birds Migrating In The Distance has a curious and minimal keys melody, similar to its predecessor. There’s more movement here, however. A dance, perhaps. But still, even while violins build a wall of sound around the listener, that quiet state of observation remains.
OUR FAVORITE TRACK… Celestial tones burst subtly and in slow-motion into being as, Awash In Granite Geometry, fully develops. This music demands presence.
Glacial Architecture Of The Mountain Corridor feels like an epiphanal moment in time, where a window of awareness opens briefly, and all one can do is stare in awe, knowing the moment is soon to pass.
The aptly titled, Night Sky Over The Face Of A Nearby Tarn, captures the essence of the stillness of night with little more than a few key strokes and subtle synth tones in the distance. It feels like being stream-side under moonlight.
All Across The High Plain After The Storm: The awakenings of all manner of curious creatures as the sun ascends. An exercise in patient observation. A new dawn. A way to see one’s life.
IN CONCLUSION…
A defining moment. A turning point. An unexpected ride into a soothing world of sonically healing tones. Forest Robots’ (a.k.a., Francisco Dominguez) latest album, After Geography, represents a substantive shift in consciousness, a non-aggressive plea for change, and one man’s explanation of how things actually could be—through the art of song. With no words to trigger intellect or interpretive meaning, these ten songs mimic nature’s taoist tendency by ebbing and flowing in a natural harmony, thereby allowing a listener to experience their own version of the music and the moment. Check out music from, After Geography, below.
WHOSE LOVECHILD…?
Jon Hopkins meets Clint Mansell…
BELOW: Listen to music from Forest Robots’ album, After Geography, and connect with his website and social media platforms. Please support Forest Robots by visiting him online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing his music! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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