Wednesday 25 January 2017

SPIRITS BURNING Canadian review

Band: Spirits Burning & Clearlight
CD Title: The Roadmap In Your Head
Label: Gonzo Multimedia (2016)
Rating: Satisfying 3/5
 

Well, here we go, Don Falcone and that musical collective known as Spirits Burning are back with another release, this one entitled The Roadmap In Your Head. As with a number of other releases, Spirits Burning works with others and here the billing is shared with Cyrille Verdeaux’s Clearlight. This is actually the second time they have teamed up and it makes for an overall pleasant and engaging listen. Musically there is a little bit of everything here from the expected classically influenced electronics and synths to a Gong flavored light jazzy vibe. But then there are also folk-inspired pieces strong on flute and acoustic sounds. Given the fact there are upwards of thirty-five musicians performing on this disc, including a number with strong connections to the world of Gong, it should not be surprising to hear the variety of musical styles expressed. Clocking in at a total of seventy-five minutes, there are fourteen instrumental compositions ranging in length from two and half minutes to the longest being just over thirteen. Over all the stylistic feels that regularly shine through would include classical, ethnic and light jazz. Some of the shorter tracks tend to stay with one of those genre-types or at least a variation of it while in the longer pieces, those six or eight minutes there is a blending of the styles as a tune weaves its way through different musical segments. The general mood of the music is relaxed, floating, pastoral and often a little groovy. Which is not to say there aren’t moments with a little more energy, but those do tend be few and far between. Some of the tunes build in psychedelic energy, starting off soft and sparse but then gaining in intensity and jazzy flair. Here’s where you think – Gong. Then, every-so-often the Clearlight electronic classical sounds shine more predominately giving the composition a spacier vibe. There is a lot to like about this release; in fact it’s become my favorite Spirits Burning listen. It’s just so many groovy musical vibes happening and it doesn’t need to HIT you over the head. Instead it just burrows its way into your head…just as the title implies.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO
The Roadmap In Your Head
CD - £9.99

Healthy Music in Large Doses
CD - £7.99

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