Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea

This may be the first time that Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea are officially appearing on Headphone Commute, but I assure you, I have been listening all along, starting from their self-titled debut release on Past Inside The Present to the more established Liberamente out on Jonas Munk’s (aka Manual) Azure Vista imprint in 2019. Of course, besides the solo works by these monumental ambient composers, Zach Frizzell (aka zakè) and Damien Duque (aka City of Dawn) have previously collaborated together, and their 2023 album on PITP, Ash, was picked as one of my favourites of the year. Here, they are joined by Marc Ertel to round up the project, which appears to spearhead the “dronegaze” genre, this time forward driven by orchestral textures, guitar swells, and bass (“Cadere” is my particular favourite piece). Today, I am sharing the last track from their upcoming new album, Reveries, this time appearing on the UK-based Sonic Cathedral label, rounding off three-quarters of an hour spent in tranquil waves, sunny rays, and drifting bliss. It’s an overall positive and soothing experience, approaching cathartic and restorative treatment as if pointing something towards your entire being, which releases vital healing energy and something you can drown in, becoming one with everything at once. Perhaps a term like “curegaze” or “ambientonic” is a better name for that…