Audiopile Review: Epic meet-up from two heavyweights of contemporary ambient and drone music—Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri. Made up of two side-long tracks, Impossibly Distant is as monumental as you’d expect from two artists who both already trade in creating grand scale atmosphere. Consuming side A is “Place Of Forever”, a slow building juggernaut that begins with a simplistically granular crackle, eventually joined by Mogard’s orbiting synth drones and Irisarri’s slow-rising guitar loops. The duo creep along with such a slow and purposeful build that by the time it’s in a full-on ascent toward voluminous shoegaze bliss, you’ve forgotten that it began in such a placid zone. The flip side, “Waking On A Dizzy Bastion”, is a track recorded live and lead by a sweet and soaring guitar melody, glacial sheets of synth eventually rise above, Mogard’s dense organ tones pushing it all towards a white heaven. Some of the best work either of them have ever been a part of. Big recommendation here.

Green color vinyl version. Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri’s partnership unfolded serendipitously at the sold-out opening of the SoundSet Series at Madrid’s Condeduque cultural center in 2023 — a program that featured performances by legends such as Autechre and younger artists like Caterina Barbieri and KMRU. The duo’s encore that evening, recorded for Spain’s Radio 3, resonated deeply with the audience, igniting a creative spark that propelled them to work remotely in their respective studios. At the heart of their effort lies a delicate balance of restraint and innovation, evident in the live concert track “Waking Up Dizzy on a Bastion.” This piece, inspired by their musical sensibilities, serves as a testament to their shared vision and mutual respect. Utilizing a familiar parallel chord progression, the track builds from a simple melodic motif played live on synths that transforms into a call-and-response interplay between Mogard’s synth lines and Irisarri’s bowed guitar loops, creating a dialogue-like interaction between the musicians. Building upon the energy of that live performance, Mogard and Irisarri crafted “Place of Forever,” a companion piece that combines Mogard’s Farfisa organ and modular synthesizers with Irisarri’s signature guitar tones and looping techniques at his Black Knoll studio in New York. Starting with a somber and minimal tone, the track gradually evolves, unfurling layers of deep bass tonalities draped in blissful gauze as it progresses during its 17-plus minute duration. The resulting album exudes a profound sense of alchemy, effortlessly weaving intricate soundscapes that feel simultaneously faraway and intimate. The cover artwork, by Marja de Sanctis, depicts a vase sculpture made of unfired clay. Created and photographed by herself, it reflects lights and shadows of fragility. Daniel Castrejón’s design responds to the image transforming the shape of the vase into lines and empty spaces. Through these joint pieces, Mogard and Irisarri have created a work that encapsulates the dichotomy inherent in its title: Impossibly Distant, Impossibly Close.