A Stellar selection of fully-realized songs, lovingly sharpened by Triplicate mainstay Tim Gilbert, AKA Fields of Few. Riding the line between techno and ambient, often meeting in the middle and producing terrifically enjoyable results, this EP is a must-listen for those who know a good thing when they hear it.

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INTERVIEW
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George Ernst (Triplicate Records): What's your favourite track? Mine's Mind.

Tim Gilbert (Fields of Few): It’s a tie between ‘Physical’ and ‘Mind’.

GE: What've you been up to besides making dope music as always?

TG: Ah thanks! Cello stuff- orchestral work and Cello teaching.. and just trying to get through the UK winter! Doing lots of exercise and meditation which has been a great focus.

GE: What was the impetus behind choosing transitional states as a topic for this record to meditate on? I'm wondering whether this was a theme you started with, or whether it made itself apparent naturally through the recording / compiling process

TG: So this EP actually started life as a production music project, but the longer I spent on it, the more I realised I wanted it to evolve into something else.
There have been lots of positive transitions in my life more recently as a result of situations I’ve learnt and grown from. I wanted to write a conceptual project about these evolving fundamentals in life. It’s also an acknowledgment of benefits of positive change and a push back against the natural resistance our mind creates to this because it often perceives change and growth as a threat.

GE: What's your favourite transitional state?

TG: Well by a process of elimination..given that Time is just a construct, the Physical form is temporary, Dreaming is a function of the physical Mind and the Mind is largely a manifestation of contextual thought and by extension, the Ego, and Mechanical is reminding me I probably need to get my car serviced…I think I’ll go for Spiritual!

GE: Best film you saw last year?

TG: Wonka… sorry! It wasn’t a deep and meaning year for films for me. The amount of auto tune on the soundtrack however did render the whole thing for me devoid of authentic human expression in terms of the music. My 11 year old son said the same completely independently so that was a proud parent moment!

GE: What's on the FOF horizon?

TG: So an album with another label in October, a collaboration EP with another Ambient/ Electronic artist, and possibly another EP over the next few months.

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REVIEW
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Legendary Triplicate Mainstay Tim Gilbert returns with another fabulous collection of melodic techno bangers. A briefer offering than last August's 'Nocturnal Summer Drift', this EP is, nonetheless, laser-focused in its intent; to remind you why listening to Fields of Few projects is a damn good way to spend your day.

His fourth release on Triplicate Records, 'Transitional States' captures the wonder-filled bop-ready danceability of what came before, all the while pushing forward through the snow to something warmer, and dare I say, grander. Each track, 'Physical, Mechanical, Dreaming, Spiritual, Mind, Time', could be seen as meditations on... dare I say it, transitional states, though the full implications and meaning behind that decision are known only to Gilbert, and interpreted by his listeners.

First off, 'Physical' delights in the Gilbert-esque wandering soft arpeggios we've come to delight in with Fields of Few projects, though here one can really appreciate the extra breathing room afforded by those longing, luxurious strings, and a lengthy meditative end-coda. It's the old machinery warming up at the start of a long shift. Well, not THAT long, it's an EP after all. Nevertheless, a solid opener, and works nicely as a slower-paced but confident summation of what you're about to hear.

Immediately, things are kicked up a notch rhythmically speaking with the fast-tempo technocracy of the appropriately named 'Mechanical', a juicy, drum-heavy acid track with a heavier reliance on melody towards the second half than the title would imply. Here Gilbert's sampler is smoking from doing its job. Layers of kooky percussive bells and beeps and blips form a stellar second song.

'Dreaming' however is quite the different beast. The shimmering yet mournful strings are practically pregnant with pathos. The melody rides the line between conveying loss and hope. Percussion isn't at the forefront this time, but rather the forward momentum is generated from an incessantly purposeful driven arpeggio, dominating the first half of the arrangement, but gradually settling into a shimmering peaceful soup along with the gorgeous string work, conjuring a truly lovely sound.

The mid-album ambient detour continues with the similarly sublime 'Spiritual'. Again, the titling is on point here, listening to the deep, wandering strings combined with pretty and delicate tentatively played piano motifs one's brain can't help but produce images of ancient rites, temples, unusual chanting from robed figures... Or perhaps it refers to a personal spiritual journey. I'm no priest, ask Mr. Gilbert! Either way, top track.

Back to the energetic mood captured by the opening two tracks, the penultimate tune 'Mind' delves inwards, creating a soundscape wherein the beat is happening outside of the four walls that surround you, occasionally bleeding through and teasing you because it sounds like an absolute banger. All jokes aside, the filtered drums are cool as all hell and this is a really fun tune. The woodwind motifs that occasionally crop up breathe an air of organic splendour into the proceedings that contrasts really nicely with the rigidity of the drums.

Finally 'Time' closes out Transitional States with the pace and urgency of a particularly musical grandfather clock serenely orbiting some astral body. It's one of those impossibly pretty songs that closes a musical project with perfection. Everything feels frozen in time, but the freeze happened while something mindbendingly beautiful was playing out, so no one seems to mind.

All in all, a lovely set of songs. Six tight and carefully perfected demonstrations of the endless serene potential of the Fields of Few project. Don't sleep on this stunning record!