To decompress after the grand statement of last year's excellent Comprehension of Light, Russian composer Dmitry Evgrafov is back with an intimate EP that flirts with an impressive breadth of textures and emotions over its brief six tracks.
Return opens with two stark solo piano pieces, both rich in melody; "Falter" skews sombre while "Bygones" adds some jaunty playfulness to its wistful twinkling. "The Waves" baits the listener into thinking this is going to be a purely piano-driven affair, before a well-time squall of electronic noise crashes in to complement the piece, serving as a soft opening to the more expansive back half of the EP.
"Unity" is an eerie buildup of tense sound design that climaxes into a glorious afterglow of swooning strings and echoing chimes, and "Consolation" seamlessly blends carefully sculpted electronic ambience with heavenly piano. The ending arrives all too soon with an alternate version of "Znanie" (originally from Comprehension), which refocuses the song's lush orchestration on its hazier synth elements. It's a thoughtful adjustment and a beautiful way to close this strong interim offering from an increasingly consistent talent.
(Fat Cat)Return opens with two stark solo piano pieces, both rich in melody; "Falter" skews sombre while "Bygones" adds some jaunty playfulness to its wistful twinkling. "The Waves" baits the listener into thinking this is going to be a purely piano-driven affair, before a well-time squall of electronic noise crashes in to complement the piece, serving as a soft opening to the more expansive back half of the EP.
"Unity" is an eerie buildup of tense sound design that climaxes into a glorious afterglow of swooning strings and echoing chimes, and "Consolation" seamlessly blends carefully sculpted electronic ambience with heavenly piano. The ending arrives all too soon with an alternate version of "Znanie" (originally from Comprehension), which refocuses the song's lush orchestration on its hazier synth elements. It's a thoughtful adjustment and a beautiful way to close this strong interim offering from an increasingly consistent talent.
