When I hit play on the first track of Bahe 《坝河》 I was greeted with some bird song, distant traffic sounds, the rumble of running water, and muffled conversation. Some deep looming tones (presumably from the underground subway) come and go. I'm reminded of music you might hear in an art gallery.
Relaxing. I usually feel reserved about using this word to describe music, as it tends to undercut the emotional depth that's poured into it. However, to me, this album is relaxing in a very significant way. I found a depth and nuance in this relaxation that felt novel.
This is an ambient album consisting of field recordings taken using a variety of tools across a few locations of the Bahe river in Beijing. I'm no stranger to going outside, finding a nice location, and just listening to what's around me. On the surface, this album comes across as no different than that, but in truth there's more to it. The sounds presented across the six tracks of this album are thoughtfully sourced, mixed, and curated for a particular balanced experience.
What struck me as novel is the pacing. Pacing feels like too traditional of a music analysis concept to apply to an album of this nature, but I couldn't help but feel that the pacing of this album was immaculate nonetheless. Each track is just long enough to give you the time needed to explore the soundscape, but not so long that you begin to tune it out. There's a steady stream of new sounds and a consistent recurrence of old sounds. From the organic evolution of the recordings themselves to the changes in recording techniques and locations between the tracks, I felt engaged in a way I wasn't anticipating at the outset.
Whether you're just looking to relax before bed, something to listen to while writing, or a more active listening experience, I think this album is definitely worth your consideration.