The Best of Danna & Clément / The Best of Danna & Clement

Mychael Danna and Tim Clément, both wonderful composers in their own right, are one of the greatest duos that the ambient/space music style has ever had the pleasure of hearing. This best-of recording is an organic, ambient masterpiece that showcases their most brilliant work in a cohesive, long-running sonic excursion. This is actually a collection of older pieces recorded between 1983 through 1985, remixed, remastered, and produced by Stephen Bacchus. The beautifully sonorous timbres and reflective atmospheres of Danna & Clément are mesmerizing. The story behind this recording is significant because it illustrates both how these works came about and the fact that the duo were pioneers of environmental sound recording long before nature sounds became a staple of the new age genre. Danna & Clément spent most of the summers of 1984 and 1985 on a remote farm in the isolation of the Ontario wilderness composing and recording. Situated deep in the woods, Setle, their rural farm, was without electrical power during their stay, so much of their work involved using power from a generator positioned 400 feet away and connected by a series of long extension cords. By taking this unique approach, and by integrating outdoor sounds recorded at these and other remote locations, they were able to create an uplifting form of "natural ambient music that expresses the profound beauty and solitude of the Canadian environment." The Best of Danna & Clément is a wonderfully optimistic, truly uplifting record.