Antarctican Dream Machine

Released in 2022, Antarctican Dream Machine represents a significant pivot for Ali Lacey (Novo Amor). Following an expedition to Antarctica with Greenpeace, Lacey abandoned his usual indie-folk structures to create a purely instrumental ambient work. The album utilizes field recordings captured during the trip, including the sounds of cracking ice and underwater hydrophone captures, which serve as the rhythmic and textural foundation for the music. Unlike his previous albums like 'Cannot Be, Whatsoever,' which focused on emotional intimacy and vocal performance, this record is an exercise in environmental storytelling. It was received as a bold artistic statement on climate change and solitude, moving away from the 'Bon Iver' comparisons that defined his early career and establishing him as a capable composer of cinematic, modern classical soundscapes. The track titles like 'Ataraxia' and 'Elegy' reinforce the album's themes of stillness and mourning for a changing landscape.