Pan American

After Jucifer and Error, it probably is time to bring it down a notch and relax; and I think Pan American's Quiet City will do the trick. It is a beautiful album that has been labeled minimalist or ambient, but I find it generally more warm than most albums of those genres. This is due to the artful use of acoustic instrumentation: congas, bass, flugelhorn, guitar, and even some vocals. Pan American is the solo project of Mark Nelson, and seems to be a more organic extension of his work with Labradford. Favorite tracks include "Wing," a very minimalist cut with old school vinyl hiss superimposed onto the track along with conga accompaniment and "Het Volk" with its flugelhorn accompaniment. Click here to listen.