(Cyclic Defrost) If Thousands are a two-piece predominantly instrumental outfit working with brooding atmospheres and warm textural drones. Best known for 2002’s Yellowstone, produced by Low’s Alan Sparhawk and released on his own Charkickers label, their music is equal parts formless ambient music that drifts evocatively across a space and denser though still quite warm layers of noise. Much of their music is improvised, recorded in one take and their current album, Greystone on Sea, is no exception, four evocative drifting jams imbued with a subtlety that belies its sonic grandeur. It was all recorded in one night in a basement, totally improvised and without overdubs and the evocative late night mood is palpable. Very little is moving, only the occasional deeply emotive swell, as the keys or guitar rises to the fore to herald a new movement. The music is like being wrapped in warm cotton wool, comforting and all encompassing, yet still rough and experimental eschewing any production sheen. On a previous record they suggested in the liner notes to listen to the recording at as low volume as possible to induce and aid in slumber, yet Greystone on Sea works best with the volume turned up allowing the textures to envelope the room and cascade off the walls.

(Nate I) I'll start off by saying that this is not my introduction to if thousands. I have several of their other discs. I prefer this and their other newer material to the older ones if for no other reason than obvious growth and maturing. Their other material is not lacking by any means, but you can hear the well widening with ever step they take... like a savant child only becoming more fascinating with age. With every album a new level of if thousands is unearthed. The only complaint I would have is the brevity of these songs. On their other albums the longer durations allow you to soak up and sink further into the ambient worlds they are building. What they are revealing to me is a very sensitive control over sound and an ability to make manifest through the filtration systems of instrumentation very relevant and distinct emotion. So overall I give this one 4 out of 5. –Nate I. (fan review for dreamland recordings, 02/06)