Initially I was going to chalk this album as being one that pervades standard temporal schemas and instead adopts one of stasis. However, for several reasons I'll be dropping this analogy. First of all, for ambient based albums, it's really not that non-standard to convey a delicate feeling of motionless throughout the proceedings. I can probably think of a good handful of albums that I've previously described as such without overexerting myself, but I'll spare you the tedium of that exercise. Secondly, The World on Higher Downs are much more involved in their music than the usual suspects of time tampering hooligans. Detachment from the medium can be a simple means of accomplishing said feat; simple droning or thick layering strategies can quickly induce a powerful hypnosis that completely restrains the listener. Land Patterns is very much an active portrait. Pieces carry and move with confidence, gliding with a graceful poise and unabated stature. While still subscribing very much to minimalist schools of thought, such a provoking piece is commendable, although we are obliged to dig much deeper than that to unearth the true equilibrium of the work.

At the heart of this static description, I believe, is the non-linearity of the music and the relative 'light' mood created with electric guitar and synths. A variety of techniques can ultimately produce this effect, and it's a well observed and documented phenomenon. The difference with The World on Higher Downs and what separates them from all those who occupy a similar musical space, is that of action. Land Patterns attains non-linearity though action where so many have been content to gorge on inactive, swelling compositions. These are the repetitive pieces that seem to get stuck in one place and hark on repetition until blue in the face. Don't get me wrong, several albums of sheer genius have been constructed this way, but now we're approaching it with a "been there, done that" attitude, so here's to celebrating the new guy in town.

Although not quite motivated by a traditional 'narrative' flow, Land Patterns follows an overarching theme that ties the work together despite the experimental, three-dimensional approach that dominates the physical qualities of the music. This is not such much an explicit component of the album, rather each listener will identify with different themes throughout the unfolding work of art, but suffice to say that these are the constants in an otherwise fluctuating body. Notably, this bypasses many problems encountered by their peers, such as Port-Royal's Afraid to Dance or Lights Out Asia's Tanks and Recgonizers, where electronic, experimental circuits are often deemed more important than the cohesive whole, much to the downfall of the larger piece. The World on Higher Downs pays unmistakably large attention to the crafting of the album, and not just individual tracks, although those certainly qualify for 'detail oriented' as well. The resulting work calls upon Stars of the Lid for its breathtaking completion of one fluid experience, but still carves out each track with as much painstaking effort as would the pool of their IDM contemporaries. 1 Mile North comes to mind as one of the only acts who has produced such a convincing effort previously, although the band's slow demise has meant they've been lost in the crowd -- a rather unfortunate consequence for the electronic community; perhaps Land Patterns will spark a resurgence of this long overdue art.

Without headphones, Land Patterns loses much of its appeal. This really shouldn't need to be stated, as albums of this caliber are headphones albums from conception to realization, but those who plan to enjoy this otherwise are severely cheating themselves out of the main course. Low mixed layers constitute much of the hidden appeal to The World on Higher Downs' craft. "Ascension And" strikes me as one that's more obviously in this intent, as brass, drones, synth, and glockenspiel make subtle contributions. So subtle, in fact, that after the initial appearances of these instruments, the mind begins to concentrate on other aspects of the multi-layered track and we quickly forget about that horn accompaniment, although it persists in the background. Other tracks follow similarly, in no way mimicking in structure or composition but taking the same direction with production. Credit is due to Eric Bray, who had the sense to mix down the album and avoid the orgasmic/epic territory that many of these ambient pieces would otherwise travel. We're left with a subdued piece, which then is able to pick and choose which genres it borrows from. Some are heavier on the electronic vibe, others venture down ambient alleyways, and still others find themselves stuck between the two or ignoring this suggestive labeling all together. Flourishes of classical, orchestral influence is brought in, as is jazz and post-rock, but inevitably it's all boiled down in the production table to what inevitably becomes a very TWOHD sound. It's magnificent.

With so much watchful scrutiny over the high scoring of an album, I'm hesitant to prematurely elevate this band to the upper echelon of artists. Unnecessary hype is never needed, but credit is certainly due where earned, and The World on Higher Downs has succeeded in creating a truly inspiring album. For that I cannot dare be apologetic, and am empowered to say this is a record of exceptional accomplishment. Perhaps some day down the road I'll look back and say to myself that I needn't be so hasty with a positive score, but if I were you I wouldn't hold my breath. Albums like this only surface every so often, and if Land Patterns is not initially groundbreaking, it shows a band who is a fraction of a second away from creating one of the most important albums since Hammock's Kenotic. Critical acclaim is superfluous; these guys should be a household name.

-Jordan Volz