As BLOMMA, Philip Daniel and Jacob Pavek draw on influences from the contemporary modern composition lineage of Philip Glass and Hauschka (minus the prepared piano) and blend those elegant, repetitive motifs with more modern ambient synth texturing.
Softly modulating piano arpeggios provide the chordal backbone for the lion's share of the pieces on this self-titled debut. Swelling waves of synth take the place of cello in most cases, perhaps best exemplified in mid-album standout "August." The melodies tend to be less punchy than the likes of Max Richter's work, leaning toward drifter explorations that circle in on themselves.
The consistent rhythmic symmetry can grow a bit wearisome, but the album is well-paced overall, injecting calm spectral beauty just when it's needed ("Re: Aurora"). "Finale" in particular is so damn lovely that it makes this listener hope they'll give more weight to untethered romantic ambience on future releases.
(Moderna Records)Softly modulating piano arpeggios provide the chordal backbone for the lion's share of the pieces on this self-titled debut. Swelling waves of synth take the place of cello in most cases, perhaps best exemplified in mid-album standout "August." The melodies tend to be less punchy than the likes of Max Richter's work, leaning toward drifter explorations that circle in on themselves.
The consistent rhythmic symmetry can grow a bit wearisome, but the album is well-paced overall, injecting calm spectral beauty just when it's needed ("Re: Aurora"). "Finale" in particular is so damn lovely that it makes this listener hope they'll give more weight to untethered romantic ambience on future releases.