Pan•American & Kramer - Reverberations of Non-Stop Traffic on Redding Road (2024)

This was always gonna be lovely. Mark Nelson allies with veteran superproducer and Shimmy Disc boss Kramer to lift his serene fretwork even further skyward. Properly blissful gear - RIYL vintage Eno, Stars of the Lid or Windy & Carl.

Since his early days in Labradford, Nelson has been shaping a guitar tone that's as placid as Harold Budd's piano. His solo material is always worth a look - 2022's 'The Patience Fader' was particularly beautiful - and on 'Reverberations of Non-Stop Traffic…' he sets his amp up alongside Kramer, the legendary composer and producer who's polished up classic material from Low, Galaxie 500, Bowery Electric and just about anyone else you can think of. We last spotted Kramer on last year's 'Baptismal - Ambient Symphony #1', a collaboration with the great Laraaji, and he takes a similar role here, filling out Nelson's signature minimalism with syrupy, beatific drones and tender orchestral swells.

It's quite the match, and the pair's respect for each other is palpable. Kramer doesn't seem to be interested in upsetting Nelson's usual rhythm too much, and Nelson leaves plenty of space for Kramer to work his magic. Leisurely riffs are slowed into Satie-like meditations, and Kramer's subtle processes just fray the edges, tying the loose threads into decorative knots. The album plays like a distant memory, covered in radio static and tape hiss that only emphasizes its sentimentality. At times, Nelson's muted guitar is all we can hear, with Kramer's subdued drones accenting each note like graceful reverb trails. Beautiful stuff.

Tracklist
1. Floating Island (4:42)
2. Plants Used for Weaving (3:52)
3. Boundary Fence (4:31)
4. Aquaculture (3:39)
5. The Soft Structure (4:02)
6. A Mountain is an Ancestor (3:51)
7. The Caretaker (3:39)
8. The Miner’s Pale Child (3:33)
9. Groundwater (3:37)
10. On Redding Road (3:12)
11. Floating Epitaph (3:28)
12. For GW (10:59)