"Windy & Carl"
"Windy & Carl"
Windy Weber and Carl Hultgren began writing music together in 1993. Self releasing their earliest recordings on their own Blueflea label, these were more of a dreamy psychedelic sound, with gentle guitars and hushed vocals. As time went on, the music became more of an imaginary film score, wandering soundscapes with thick layers and lush tones. Various labels generously released cds; 1995 saw Ba Da Bing release Portal, in 1996 Icon Records released Drawing Of Sound, and by 1997 kranky in Chicago had adopted Windy & Carl, a place they still fondly call home and where Depths (1997), Consciousness (2001), and The Dreamhouse (2005) all reside.
While it may be hard to define Windy & Carl's sound, the guitars, bass, occasional keyboard and vocals are generally ambient in nature - music great for coloring the background, or foreground, of any activity - walks in the park, driving, afternoon naps …. Similarities can be drawn to some of the 80's ambient pioneers as well as modern classical music. They create music with a wide range of atmospheres, from a warm fuzzy blanket, to a deep ocean, and to the open spaces of a frozen antarctic.
While Windy & Carl do not tour often, they have performed at all 6 Terrastock festivals, and still occasionally venture away from home for shows. There is not much time for touring now as most days are spent running their music store in Dearborn, Michigan, Stormy Records.
Beginning in early 2005 Windy and Carl began to work on recording material. The first result of their efforts was Dedications to Flea, a musical tribute to a recently departed canine friend. Brainwashed Handmade released a limited edition pressing of 500 CDs in early summer, 2005. Scott McKeating wrote in Stylus that
"At nearly twenty minutes long both 'Sketch for Flea' and 'Ode to a Dog' follow an intertwining analogue path of lightly processed and pealing guitars. There are definite patterns and returning figures within the atmospheric shifts managing to sound both insubstantially crystalline yet full and warm."
The Dream House is the first kranky album of new material from Windy & Carl in five years. Recorded at their home studio in Dearborn, MI it consists of two tracks. The Dream House is in many ways the duo№s simplest and most straight-forward release, concentrated as it is on two evolving pieces. It is also Windy & Carl's most ambitious recording, with the duo deliberating on longer forms. Windy & Carl are capable of sustaining melodic ideas and patiently apply attention to singular musical gestures.