Album Notes

Mystified is proud to announce the release of our cdr, "Reduced". "Reduced" is comprised of field recordings and collages of field recorded material. Like "South City Spring", the release covers many South Saint Louisan moods and modes, though it was created using newer, higher-quality equipment, and therefore is, mystified feels, a superior release.

Listening to this cdr is like visiting mystified's apartment in South Saint Louis, with aural sensations both intentional and surprising. Reverberant glurp soundscapes, muted conversations, floating voices, mechanical drones. . . all and more are represented here.

The cdr has sixteen tracks and clocks in at just over 53 minutes. It was professionally duplicated and features a full-color insert with art by Sandy Spreitz ( www.sandystudio.com ).

Review: "St. Louis native Thomas Park is Mystified and he presents us with a very special record. Experimental ambient music that combines field recordings and phonography that crawls deep under your skin causing itches that are impossible to scratch away. Eerie textures are blended well with production that is top notch. . . Ambient music often finds itself with yawning audiences who yearn for something to latch onto, “Reduced” however is the polar opposite. Surprisingly engaging for an occasionally dark ambient field recording album, “Reduced” is an absolute must-have. Noise enthusiasts: you do NOT want to miss this album." -- J. Sin of www.smother.net, who names "Reduced" an Editor's Pick

Another Fine Review: "Mystified's work impresses me because it is not laden with "important" (and ultimately cute and somewhat banal) artistic flourishes. These found sounds sometimes serve as unprocessed or lightly processed direct listening experiences, while others sound to my ears very artfully chosen to press into service as something ambient listeners would agree is "music" not "stray environmental noise." . . . Reduced can be readily recommended, however, as it suffers from neither affectation nor pretension. The pieces, simply titled, literally "are what they are." They reward the engaged listener, and baffle the listener hunting for easy drones and titles based on fantasy novels. As with any field recording, the casual listener may, indeed, be mystified." -- Gurdonark; www.ambientreview.com