Robert Rich

About

Robert Rich crafts soundscapes that serve as portals to realms where time loses meaning, a gentle descent into a world woven from the textures of dreams and the echoes of ancient memory. Emerging from the United States' experimental music undercurrents, Rich has been a constant presence since 1963, painting auditory landscapes that beckon the listener into states of introspection and wonder. His preference for the cassette format — with nine releases in this medium — speaks to the tactile intimacy and personal connection he fosters through his work, offering a ritualistic experience that is both personal and infinite. The foundations of Rich's legacy can be unearthed in releases like "Premonitions 1980-1985", a VINYL ON DEMAND anthology that chronicles his formative years, capturing the embryonic whispers of his evolving sound. It is here that the layers of drones and tribal rhythms first began to coalesce into the immersive soundscapes he is celebrated for. This collection, alongside early works such as "Sunyata" and "Drones", reveals a commitment to sonic exploration that is profound and unwavering. Rich's collaborations with Steve Roach further illustrate the depth of his influence within the ambient genre, their combined efforts weaving together atmospheric textures that blur the lines between the terrestrial and the otherworldly. Though his journey traverses a multitude of labels, including Auricle and Multimood Records, the core of Robert Rich’s oeuvre remains a liminal space — a place where new age influences and layered drones merge into something both timeless and of the now.