FFWD

FFWD comprises Thomas Fehlmann of Sun Electric alongside Robert Fripp, Kris Weston, and Dr. Alex Paterson, the final pair both formerly of the Orb, forming what may well have been ambient music’s initial supergroup. Though assembled as a singular endeavor without confirmed intentions to regroup, the recording that emerged from their brief studio sessions stands as a pivotal work in experimental ambient, markedly distinct from the established styles of its participants. Its atmosphere most closely echoes certain later Orb efforts such as Pomme Fritz and Orbus Terrarum, yet departs markedly through an overall sparseness and restraint. Fripp’s guitar work remains densely atmospheric, filtered through layers of effects processing characteristic of Fehlmann and Weston, after Paterson is said to have captured extended stretches of the guitarist improvising casually on his instrument and later edited those fragments into coherent sections. The resulting arrangements and textural focus allow the guitar to occupy a prominent role rarely achieved without imbalance or forced inclusion.

Beyond his initial collaborations with Brian Eno on No Pussyfooting and Evening Star, Fripp has since joined forces at times with other ambient figures including Future Sound of London and issued two Soundscapes live recordings from a solo tour. Weston, also known as Thrash, departed the Orb in 1995 for independent work, while Fehlmann’s Sun Electric has issued multiple albums and several EPs.