If you've been keeping up with the HD posts at all over the past couple of months, you've more than likely seen the word "ethereal" tossed around quite a bit. There's been an excess of recent music that can accurately be described as such, with most of it falling within the categories of folk, indie, or electronic; and today, we've another exceptional offering that sort of combines the three genres, this time coming from HD newcomer, Allman Brown. We've said it over and over, but we absolutely love when musicians do more with less, and we find it especially appealing when an artist can create an extraordinarily enjoyable piece using only a minimal amount of instruments. Brown takes this approach for the beginning of his mellow tune, "Ancient Light", opening the offering with nothing but a quiet, constant tapping sound and his tranquil croon. He builds on this base layer with a graceful verse, occasionally adding small electronic elements throughout, and each inclusion add to the serene aesthetic of the piece. However, this one might catch you off guard, because around the three-minute mark, a sort of beautiful sonic eruption occurs, streaming out a wave of euphoric synths to form an unexpected, yet ideally positioned climax. It's blissfully executed, through and through, and with "Ancient Light" our first taste of Allman Brown's work, we're stoked to see if his upcoming EP will be at all like it. If you pre-order the EP now, you will be given a download of "Ancient Light" instantly.
Allman Brown