One of the most pressing issues of truly solo work is the dangers of tunnel vision. When a single person helms every aspect of a recording, from performance to production to presentation, it runs the risk of being born of an echo chamber. But there are times when an enigmatic, bewitching chamber of echoes is as captivating as it gets. Mark Kleyn, one half of acclaimed string duo Pallmer, effortlessly shows just how impressively he wears every hat on his new release Foot Hold. Continue reading Mark Kleyn Spirals Into Enthralling Viola Loops on ‘Foot Hold’
Tag Archives: Album Review
DenMother’s ‘Frantic Ram’ is a Beautiful and Haunting Journey
There’s something intensely terrifying and equally tantalizing about exploring the dark side of anything, be it ourselves, others, or something else entirely. Without them, we would never come to relish in our highest highs, after all.
The quarantine gave us plenty of time to explore whatever intangibles we wished, but electronica artist Sabarah Pilon, the mastermind behind experimental electronic project DenMother, took it nine steps further with her latest concept album, Frantic Ram.
Continue reading DenMother’s ‘Frantic Ram’ is a Beautiful and Haunting Journey
Elephant Skeletons Treats Us to a Tasty Halloween EP with ‘Ghost Stories’
It’s been a little while since I’ve gone trick or treating, but I must say that I enjoy getting a treat without knocking on doors. Elephant Skeletons has graced us with a Halloween release that will fit any spooky grooving you have in mind. Continue reading Elephant Skeletons Treats Us to a Tasty Halloween EP with ‘Ghost Stories’
Big Space Makes A Big Impression With ‘In Relation To’
In Relation To is the latest work by St. John’s progressive jazz trio Big Space. This live-tracked record is an immensely enjoyable and well-balanced set of instrumental pieces. A minimalist approach to production helps root the sound and infuses the three voices with legitimacy and purpose. Continue reading Big Space Makes A Big Impression With ‘In Relation To’
Blackwood Carves a Path Through Enchanting Vistas on ‘Lost and Found’
Knowing that Lost and Found is the first album released by the duo Blackwood comes as a big surprise. Comprised of the industry veterans of pianist Peter-Anthony Togni and bass clarinetist Jeff Reilly, the musical chemistry on display here feels too enchanting for it to be the first album of this project. The Halifax pair have dove deep into their collective experience as musicians and composers, and the treasure they have emerged with is nothing short of magical. Continue reading Blackwood Carves a Path Through Enchanting Vistas on ‘Lost and Found’