Magical musical musings care of the marvellous John Matthews.

Music To Watch Seeds Grow By is an ambient imprint, curated by Ran$om Note’s Wil Troup and Tia Cousins, that aims to provide a soundtrack to gardening, plant cultivation and to assist in unwinding the mind. To quote Tia from an interview with Ban Ban Ton Ton’s Kristen Caryl, “I was given a lot of seeds for my birthday, so that became a hyperfixation for a while. I get really excited seeing the seeds sprout for the first time and even how they’ve changed from morning compared to night! Wil shares the excitement of the seeds sprouting with me and we were sending each other ambient music, so he suggested we put the two together. The art of gardening and ambient music share a lot of the same qualities, in the sense that they invite you to slow down… and they’re 2 loves of ours. It made total sense!” 

Each edition is released on cassette and digital formats, accompanied by a packet of seeds, matching the plant celebrated by the music. Some of the artists and plants featured on the label so far include Woo (sweet peas), Brian D’Souza (sunflowers),  Eddie Ruscha V (cosmos), Lapalace (lavender) and Graintable (blue flax).

The 8th instalment comes from Salamanda, a highly acclaimed leftfield music production and DJ duo who originate from Seoul, and consist of members Uman Therma (Sala) and Yetsuby (Manda). The theme here is nurturing Basil and the inspiration behind the music comes from the pair picturing its days,  following its quiet rituals of light and warmth. Salamanda themselves state, on the Music to Watch Seeds Go By website, that, “We believe that not only basil but everyone needs a moment of silence every once in a while. Silence can mean many things: alone time, a break, meditation, night time, etc. To allow for healthy growth, it’s always important to secure enough time for yourself to pause, reflect, and recharge before continuing. Silence gives us the momentum to move forward into what comes next in life, and we think the same goes for music. It offers a moment to savour what you’ve heard, and a sense of curiosity for what comes next.” Those sentiments run deep and the sonic landscape of this release mirrors them perfectly.

The first track, “Introduce My Atom Which Is My Favourite One” is atmospheric, repetitive and has an almost childlike feel. Initially soothing, the piece increases in tempo as it progresses (possibly to reflect the growth of the basil plant?). “To To Ki Toki Tok” is next and begins with a simple drum rhythm over which a melody descends, sounding remarkably like falling droplets of water. The combination, intriguing and beautiful. 

Hypnotic glockenspiel leads on “Hungry Snail”, where, as this wonderful track unfolds, bass is introduced for the first time. “Allex, Pousse!” begins with bongos played under great dub echoes, rhythmic clapping and another deep B-line before “Basil’s Dream” continues the vibe, with wind chimes, a dreamlike guitar refrain, then building to an abrupt, final, heavy sigh. “Basil’s Ritual” features a psychedelic backwards vocal throughout over a light, but urgent, percussive patterns and shuddering cello. Closing number, “The Blue Wine” incorporates pretty much all the elements of the previous tracks, but features an absolutely gorgeous melody that makes it a standout. 

Everyone deserves a 20 minute pause every now and then, to break, refocus and restart, and this beautiful melodic album is the ideal soundtrack for that process / oasis. Oh, and if you are able focus on an indoor basil plant while listening then you are in for an ultimate moment of zen.

Salamanda’s “Basil” can be ordered directly from Music To Watch Seeds Grow By.