It's tough to aptly describe the specific sound found on this record. I can tell you that mood wise, it conjures up similar feelings to that of Submotion Orchestra's brilliant Finest Hour, currently my frontrunner for album of the year. And there are sonic similarities to that album to be found here, make no mistake--the subtle jazz elements and the occasional sojourns into that all-too familiar two-step rhythm will be familiar. Shadows is a different listen, though. For one, the album is far more beat-driven than Finest Hour, which relies primarily on Ruby Wood's vocals to find its sweet spot. Even though Shadows never even comes close to approaching anything that could be considered uptempo, the album actually evolves. If there's one complaint I do have about Finest Hour, it would be that it uses its rich and unique sound to take the listener to an absolutely wonderful place, but then chooses to go no further, to take no real leaps or other risks. That is absolutely not the case here.
The album opens with the excellent Myrtle Avenue, and you pretty much discover what the album is all about throughout its 10:02 playtime. Warm, jazzy piano underscores what is essentially a minimalistic house beat, with the ambient sections breathing a distinct personality into the track. Obfuse and Realise are separated but could easily be considered a single track, with very similar rough, garage-esque beats layered with equally raw synths. ARP3 picks the album back up with a return to the driving, four-to-the-floor beat. The closer Sais is simultaneously dreamy and majestic, the keys taking the track to another level.
Overall there's nothing here that we haven't seen before, but the arrangement is a definite breath of fresh air.
Yay bad reviews
