There is so much calm music that gets dragged into the ambient or chill or vaporwave tubs (and I do this too sometimes simply to give you an idea of what it might sound like) and an album as fine as Holotropica needs some carving out to give it its due. The bell tones are here as well as the slow attack and long decay Vangelis smears, and pads that generally feel like hypnosis tapes. I mean, the feel here is intentionally connected to physical states: song titles include “Hypnagogia” and “Humidity.” Birch is a careful and deliberate selector and arranger; this album is only eight tracks that clock out at 42 minutes. Birch is looking for something more than just making it all easy.