" "One" is the instrumental project of California artists Doug Erickson and Don Falcone. Consisting of ambient textures with guitar soloing, one can find hints of industrial music with a canopy of loop based samples and self described avant garde approaches. While not always prevalent, their influences are Eno and Fripp, Robert Rich, Bass Communion and Tangerine Dream. Fans of guitar-leaning ambient and tribal experimental music may find this an interesting listen."

-- Mike V. Chain D.L.K. (July, 6, 2009)

"One is a very pleasant album to listen to, although occasionally the mood gets rather dark. The music is mainly quite minimal and cosmic. All in all, this is a very nice album that is perhaps best to put on if you want to relax and get some distance from the dull everyday life."

-- Dj Astro, Psychotropic Zone (January 15, 2009)

"If Fripp and Eno's two '70's albums No Pussyfooting and Evening Star had included Edgar Froese from the same time period (when he released Aqua, Epsilon in Malaysian Pale and Macula Transfer), then they would have sounded like One. Since these are among my favorite electronic albums of that day, and totally defined the "ambient music" genre (in my mind at least), it makes me really like Grindlestone. Actually, though One starts off this way, it also starts to incorporate some darker ambient elements partway through (they've compared this aspect to Robert Rich, which I must agree with), and these elements fit nicely into Grindlestone's sound.

Grindlestone began in 1999 with Don Falcone (Spirits Burning, etc.) getting together with guitarist (and Guitar Craft alum) Douglas Erickson. Unlike many of Falcone's other projects, this one doesn't have a dozen guest musicians, but is just these two as a duo. This seems to make the music quite a bit more focused and less chaotic than, say, Spirits Burning, which, to be frank, suits me just fine.

One is their debut release, and I love it. This is some of the best ambient music I've heard since the '70's by those very bands I just mentioned. For those of you who share my passion for this style, you'll need Grindlestone's One in your collection. I'm hoping for Two some day."

-- Fred Trafton , GEPR (December 12, 2008)

"Ambient electro, very chill and downtempo and sparse to be almost experimental, but a definite presence of electronica and beats, if swallowed. Very pretty and ambient. Local artists."

-- Your Imaginary Friend, KZSU Zookeeper Online (October 21, 2008) [full review]

"Utilizing guitars, bass, and a laundry list of synthesizers, samplers, effects and percussion, Don and Doug have created a space ambient/soundscape/sound exploration album that defies simple categorization. There are 13 tracks, and while they are consistent in their basic sound, there's something very different happening on nearly every track.

. . . This is definitely an album that begs multiple listens. Too much variety and so much happening in this music to absorb it all in a single listen. And that's a good thing."

-- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations #40 (September 2008) [full review]

" . . . the two have created a musical entity something initially pointing to modern Tangerine Dream or a clever sci-fi soundtrack with the occasional nod to techno. However, the research and development thrust of the collaboration appears to be in maintaining a balance between digital pulse and background wash with a keen grasp on restrained manipulation. Erickson's reserved fret board approach is most apparent on pieces such as "Tombola Beano Ductile" and "River Tomato Magic" where his leads are more discernable and out front.

Other notable tracks include "Online Emergency Molasses" which relies on bright shiny shuddering shards of synthesizer implying mysterious exotic landscapes. In contrast, "Balsamic Fringe Decoy" shows Erickson's knack for a building a tense repeated arpeggio loop phrase while "Ethno Earth Commission" comes in more clearly like Brian Eno's more recent collaborations with a minimal rhythm accompaniment and sparse theme development.

Not to be pigeonholed, "Sister Tropic Pizza" travels down a more mundane audio path but is successful imparting a creepy pervasive mood. "Wodan's Malty Dragon" even comes off much in the vein of Richard Barbieri's recent textural endeavors. The fact that this disc is entitled One implies future work has already begun for the duo's next round of endeavors. "

-- Jeff Melton, Exposé Magazine, (October 2008)