We recently reviewed—and enjoyed—his single, Inevitable, a lovely Depeche Mode meets Leonard Cohen piece, dedicated to his young daughter. Now, Los Angeles, California-based electronic music producer, Fran Dominguez, has rebooted his musical alter-ego, the Forest Robots.
The result is the latest studio album, the third in a series of ambient-electro collections dedicated to Mother Nature and the four seasons. Supermoon Moonlight Part One was dedicated to Spring. Timberline And Mountain Crest to Summer. And his latest, Times When I Know You’ll Watch The Sky, is an ode to Autumn.
HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST…
OUR FAVORITE TRACK… Beautiful airy and ambient melodies open the listening experience, eventually giving way to a hip-hop-style rhythm drenched in sparkling synth tones in, Just Before Nightfall In The Forrest. The whole thing feels like a lucid dream-walk in the woods.
In The late Autumn Afternoon Rainstorm offers gently rolling synth keys over another stylistic electro kick & clap. More layers of synth tones come and go, expanding on a curious and inspired feeling. This is peaceful music.
The meditative album title track, Times When I Know You Watch The Sky II, expands and contracts with that Forest Robots brand of synth infusion, all the while a minimalist high-hat and snare keep time.
The Clouds That First Gather At The Mountain, boasts an all-out trippy techno-meets-hip-hop rhythm track, with liquid-style synth tones swirling and flowing about your head set; and then ends with 40 seconds of soothing California thunderstorms.
Deep bass fills the set in the intro to, Faint Sunlight In The Far Horizon. Single guitar notes intermingle with airy organ tones, creating a hopeful feeling after all.
The project concludes with, Follow The Fog And The Rain, a lovely layered synth piece, void of percussion of any kind, creating an ultra-restful space in preparation for Winter’s hardships.
IN CONCLUSION…
Soothing. An electronic exploration in relaxation. A blueprint for aspiring ambient-electronic musicians. Forest Robots’ (a.k.a., Fran Dominguez) third album, Times When I Know You’ll Watch The Sky, has a peaceful—almost playful—vibe from front to back. Though it provides plenty of rhythms which are fashionable enough over which one could toss down a rhyme, there is simply no need. In this ode to all things of the natural world, words fall short, and vibration is paramount. Check out a few tracks below. The full album launches November 1st.
Also, below check out the video, All Things Grow Faint With Great Adorn In Autumn, a visual companion to the music in this new album. Much like the themes on the album, the film is Fran Dominguez’s visual interpretation of nature and the transformative effect it has on all of us.
WHOSE LOVECHILD…?
Satin Jackets meets Cozmic…
BELOW: Listen to Forest Robots’ new album, Times When I Know You’ll Watch The Sky, 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!