In case you forgot: the Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean, near Japan and it’s the deepest location on Earth, created by plate tectonics (i.e. the crashing of earth plates against each-other). It’s also the title of a new work by David Kristian, the Canadian musician who always takes me by surprise. Many of his works play around with rhythm, but on this new CD, rhythm is entirely absent. Kristian recorded two lengthy improvisations during a snow storm, using a toy synthesizer and classic guitar effects, which were later on edited and processed further until the seven parts of this CD came together. A deep listening experience, but with a somewhat more raw touch than a standard ambient work, and that’s what I like about it. The rawness of the material, the sheer minimalist approach, the subtle variations. It is work to listen to in a darkened room, or at night with the curtains open, so you can watch some stars. The seven parts form a unity and this is a particular strong album. Maybe it will not appeal to Kristian’s rhythm posse, but it surely appealed to me.