Donnacha Costello – Stay Perfectly Still

Donnacha Costello has, in the recent past, produced some of my favorite ambient mixes and recordings. Adding to that legacy of thoughtful ambient music, Costello released Stay Perfectly Still at the end of September as a limited vinyl and digital release through his Bandcamp page.

The vinyl is now sold out and while I’m sure there will be disappointed fans, one of the things that I must say is key to my own personal relationship to Costello’s ambient works, is how they’ve been an absolutely perfect soundtrack for traveling. Stay Perfectly Still continues that relationship for me. So, unclench your vinyl lusting ass, buy the digital, put it on a device and set off for somewhere. I already know that Stay Perfectly Still will be in heavy rotation as Fall sets in and light ceases to exist here in Chicago.

Stay Perfectly Still is Costello doing what he does best when working in the ambient territory. Gorgeous, haunting, evocative sonic landscapes emerge and evolve with immense patience and beauty. All of the sounds for the album were recorded using a Buchla Music Easel, a piece of gear that Costello picked up in the last year or so and which he’s been employing on a number of recent releases. I normally am not one to call out gear, but I know it was a big deal for him to be able to have it be a part of his studio and it’s obvious that he’s enjoying it immensely. It’s a real pleasure to have a new ambient release from him, it’s one to add to the collection for sure.