Ways of Meaning
| Ways of Meaning | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 23, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | Ambient, Drone | |||
| Length | 39:05 | |||
| Label | Desire Path Recordings | |||
| Producer | Kyle Bobby Dunn, James Plotkin, James Hicken | |||
| Kyle Bobby Dunn chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ways of Meaning is a studio album by Canadian composer Kyle Bobby Dunn. It was released on May 23, 2011, through Desire Path Recordings on vinyl, digital download, and in a limited art edition.[1]
Background
Unlike Dunn's earlier double album A Young Person's Guide to Kyle Bobby Dunn, this release features shorter pieces, most under ten minutes in length. The compositions were primarily created with guitar, laptop, and organ, alongside subtle use of strings, choir, horns, and sampled textures.[2]
Reception
Ways of Meaning was met with favorable reviews from music critics.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| PopMatters | [1] |
| AllMusic | [3] |
| Beats Per Minute | 79%[4] |
| Consequence | 3.9/5[5] |
| Pitchfork | 7.1/10[2] |
- Pitchfork described the record as “gentle, enveloping ambient music” and rated it 7.1 out of 10.[2]
- Consequence of Sound called it “haunting and meditative,” giving it a 3.9/5 score.[5]
- PopMatters awarded it 8/10, noting its “austere yet powerful quality.”[1]
- Beats Per Minute gave the album a 79%, citing “Canyon Meadows” and “Movement for the Completely Fucked” as highlights.[4]
- AllMusic rated it 3.5/5, with reviewer Ned Raggett praising its mix of “bass-heavy rumble and gossamer glaze.”[3]
NPR featured the track Movement for the Completely Fucked on All Songs Considered, stating that "The 15-minute piece glacially increases in volume without leaning on a climax, as most drone musicians are wont to do, instead choosing to brood with shimmering brilliance."[6]
Track listing
- Side A
- "Dropping Sandwiches (In Chester Lake)" – 3:54
- "Statuit" – 5:32
- "Canyon Meadows" – 7:03
- "New Pures" – 4:06
- Side B
- "Movement for the Completely Fucked" – 14:52
- "Touhy's Theme" – 5:03
References
- ^ a b c "Kyle Bobby Dunn: Ways of Meaning". PopMatters. June 10, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ a b c Richardson, Mark (June 6, 2011). "Kyle Bobby Dunn: Ways of Meaning". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Ways of Meaning – Kyle Bobby Dunn". AllMusic. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ a b "Album Review: Kyle Bobby Dunn – Ways of Meaning". Beats Per Minute. June 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ a b "Album Review: Kyle Bobby Dunn – Ways of Meaning". Consequence. June 23, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ Gotrich, Lars (April 15, 2011). "Kyle Bobby Dunn: Quiet, Provocative Reflection". NPR. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2025.