Julia Holter - 'Have You in My Wilderness'
Genre: pop, art pop
Favourite tracks: 'Sea Calls Me Home', 'Betsy on the Roof', 'Have You in My Wilderness'
This is my first proper foray into the music of critically acclaimed singer and songwriter Julia Holter, and I am definitely glad I gave this album a listen.
There's a lot going on in Julia's music which is very poppy at its core, melodically at least. What sets her apart is the unbelievably lush instrumental accompaniment Julia uses. Primarily string and piano focussed, the instrumentation is brilliantly composed and mixed in a way that greatly enriches Julia's crystal clear (but somehow still whispery and soothing) vocals. Julia doesn't shy away from some fun surprises either, such as the saxophone solo in 'Sea Calls Me Home', which seems to come out of nowhere but really makes the track a knockout.
Simply put, this album is downright gorgeous in every way and worth a close listen. Fans of intelligent and interesting pop music won't be disappointed.
Listen to 'Betsy On the Roof' here:
Shane Koyczan and The Short Story Long - 'Debris'
Genre: poetry, spoken word
Favourite tracks: 'Debris', 'Shut Up and Say Something', 'For Instance'
This is the second collaboration between famed spoken word poet Shane Koyczan and The Short Story Long. Shane garnered world-wide attention for his poem 'To This Day', which appeared on his first album 'Remembrance Year'. Shane's command of the sonic and rhythmic qualities of the spoken word accompanied by carefully composed music proved to be a captivating combination. 'Debris' continues to use this combination to great effect, providing a collection of genuinely insightful and evocative (and often earnestly hilarious) poems.Shane's poetry is incredibly accessible in its irreverence, honesty, and wit. Each poem is carefully written and delivered, showing a mastery of storytelling, metaphor, sound, and rhythm, never falling flat or feeling stale. The musical accompaniment is equally as nuanced and, in my opinion, does an even better job of underscoring Shane's poetry than on 'Remembrance Year'.
If you have an interest in spoken word already or are looking for a place to start, it's hard to go wrong with Shane Koyczan.
Listen to 'Debris' here:
Ludovico Einaudi is one of the greatest composers alive today and 'Elements' is just further proof that his virtuosity and compositional prowess show no signs of slowing down. I'm a long time fan of Einaudi and would easily place his previous full length LP 'In a Time Lapse' among my favourite albums of all time (seriously, if you have functioning ears and haven't heard that album you should get on that).
Ludovico Einaudi - 'Elements'
Genre: contemporary classical, neoclassical, minimalist
Favourite tracks: 'Petricor', 'Night', 'Logos', 'Song for Gavin'
Ludovico Einaudi is one of the greatest composers alive today and 'Elements' is just further proof that his virtuosity and compositional prowess show no signs of slowing down. I'm a long time fan of Einaudi and would easily place his previous full length LP 'In a Time Lapse' among my favourite albums of all time (seriously, if you have functioning ears and haven't heard that album you should get on that).
On 'Elements' Einaudi returns to a slightly more piano-centric and stripped back approach similar to earlier albums such as 'Divenire' and 'Nightbook'. While still occasionally reaching the epic scale of 'In a Time Lapse' this album places the piano front and centre for some truly beautiful and entrancing compositions. Sonically, Einaudi throws some electronic elements in the mix as he often does, which serve to give the pieces an edge and modern sophistication that goes beyond pure piano or orchestral composition.
It's solid the whole way through with each piece having its own unique merits, but like all Einaudi albums the true mastery of his work is best experienced in one complete listening. I don't have much more to say about this album, it's truly wonderful. This was the album I was most looking forward to in October and I'm glad it delivered.
Listen to 'Night' here:
William Basinski - 'Cascade' and 'The Deluge'
Genre: avant-garde, experimental, ambient
Favourite tracks: n/a
It's hard to describe Basinski's music so I'll try to keep this short. If you're unfamiliar with the world of experimental and ambient music and haven't heard of him before, William Basinski is an incredibly well regarded and accomplished artist. He's best known for his series of tape-loop compositions 'The Disintegration Loops' (2001-2002) which are still regarded as one of the best works in ambient music to date.
'Cascade' and 'The Deluge' are variations on a new tape-loop composition that features a lilting and eerie piano loop, melancholic and weightless in feel given the almost complete absence of sound in the low range. Each variation repeats the loop as different feedback loops and reverbs of varying lengths alter the sonic aspects of the loop before it fades into nothing. It's Basinski and I won't pretend to know the ins and outs of his process, each new release by Basinski seems so simple yet so detailed and complex. While 'The Disintegration Loops' will always be Basinski's signature work, these new compositions are astonishing and affecting in their own right. The music speaks for itself.
Listen to 'The Deluge' (including 'the denouement' and a shortened version of 'Cascade') here:
Boy & Bear - 'Limit of Love'
Genre: Indie, folk-rock
Favourite tracks: eh
Eh. I like Boy & Bear. Their two previous albums weren't amazing by any stretch, but among the mostly average songs were some real gems. This new album is like their previous two (like, a lot) but without the gems. It was so forgettable that the first time I listened to it I actually forgot I had and made a mental note to listen to the new Boy & Bear album before realising I in fact already had. I've given it a few listens and gone a bit more in depth with some tracks to give this album a fair chance. Unfortunately, the songs here are at best a bit boring and forgettable and at worst a drag. There are also some bizarre production choices that make this album feel a bit off and stale, such as having the guitar tracks on most songs mixed to the very far right (it's seriously off putting, I had to swap headphones to check it wasn't an issue with my gear). Each track feels completely void of emotion and direction, to the point where it all sounds very similar, even for Boy & Bear. This wasn't an album I had on my radar in particular, I just thought it'd be a nice listen since, hey, Boy & Bear are a pretty decent band. But this was a disappointing album overall.
THIS IS WHERE I'D PUT MY REVIEW OF THE NEW COHEED AND CAMBRIA ALBUM if I'd actually been able to purchase it on the day of its release and not three weeks later due to a goof by the local distributor. No stores (in Brisbane at least) had their shipments arrive until over two weeks after the release of the album. I've had a listen to the album but not closely enough to review it yet, so I'll let that roll over into November's roundup.
What did you listen to this past month? Any new albums you think I should listen to?
Thanks heaps for reading if you did. As always, have nice day :)
