Cassette Review: ky== "laura pointless" (cellar door tapes)

[$5 // Edition of 30 // https://cellardoortapes.bandcamp.com/album/laura-pointless]

I'm not sure what the name "ky==" means but the fact that it uses two letters and two characters (Well, one twice) that are neither letters nor numbers just reminds me of how badly we are running out of license plates and phone numbers.    I'm surprised that more artists haven't resorted to throwing odd characters into their names, but for the most part I tend to just see people copying other people's names and that just makes me sad.   I'd rather have you call yourself "--..**%/%###..--" then have to figure out which version of your name to tag on Facebook.

The music on "laura pointless" (And Laura is pretty pointless, isn't she?) can best be described as electronic ambient.    It has that sound that I've probably referred to as that before only I can't remember when or to whom because nothing really jumps out right at me in terms of "Oh, this sounds like ____" but it does feel familiar and I enjoy that about it.   Anything that really feels familiar when listening to it for the first time gets points from me because I appreciate that comfort.

With ambient synth tones this can sound a little bit trippy at times even.   There is static at times, which might even be a reflection of this being lo-fi, such as being generated from a record player somehow, but it just keeps that overall feel of bliss.    Glass tones come in loops and most of these sounds either do loop or drone, but really what is a drone other than a steady loop?

It just has that beauty to it, where pretty waves crash and everything comes out with synth crystals.    The overall vibe is one of relaxing, peaceful and it just feels good but I don't know if I would put it into that "day spa" sort of feel because it seems to have something extra to it over that.    Can something have such a steady pace and yet still remain so calming?   I'm not sure how it does it, but ky== manages to pull it off and make it look easy.

One of the first instrumental artists I feel I truly appreciated was The Cancer Conspiracy and I remember putting that CD on and just wanting to swim to it.    This cassette makes me want to either swim or take a bath, I'm not sure which as it feels like you could do either to it, and the fact that it can be both is just a sign of its sheer brillaince.