Review Summary: Caught beneath the weight of it all
Being lost carries many non-literal meanings, many of which can be positive or negative depending on your mindset. At a point in my life where a firm sense of direction dictates every little aspect, the notion of ‘drifting’ is slightly terrifying - not necessarily because I don’t wish to live unhindered, but rather, I’ve settled. Picture a twig laying on water’s edge, clinging to the sand stubbornly while the water tugs invitingly, but refusing to budge. Settled. I can barely enjoy a night out anymore, as my routine is dominated by predetermination. I am stuck in the thought process that feeling lost is inherently negative, characterized by anxiety and lack of confidence. It’s an example of a physical state carrying over into a mental one, blowing things out of proportion while the surrounding world - in this case, my wife/friends/whoever - scratch their heads at my refusal to simply enjoy the spontaneity. Leonardo Rosado, on the other hand, embraces the feeling of being lost. On
Adrift, the Italian drone composer opts for self-reflection rather than stewing in doubt, using his surroundings constructively. The soothing tones are varied and rich, but never overbearing so as to distract thought processes. It doesn’t force me onto a path, but offers companionship, encouraging self-discovery as one drifts through unfamiliar territory. It’s exactly what I need right now.
It’s difficult to pinpoint instances where
Adrift is self-defining. What I mean is, the album works collectively, so it’s almost futile to use a landmark moment as assurance for why it’s such a beautiful, wandering piece of music. “Washed Ashore”, at thirteen minutes long, seems equal to the shorter track “Sinking” (four minutes). Just as if you were floating endlessly, time doesn’t seem to dictate anything. The tones on “Washed Ashore” cascade slowly, but are timed perfectly, exemplifying the appeal of many drone pieces as it yields ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response). Put simply, the sound stimulates a soothing physical reaction. The chimes and underlying bass rhythms add to a detailed, ethereal atmosphere. While
Adrift is largely at peace, it is not monotonous. “Flatline” has feelings of unease, effectively living up to its name. The tone it conveys resembles the coming-to-terms of dying, as fear and regret yield to peace and acceptance. “Ground and Sky” is perhaps the most varied track instrumentally, with snippets of trumpets in the foreground looming over cavernous echoes and thudding sub-bass. Closer “Cleansed” is titled perfectly, as it filters out any negative feelings, summing up the album gloriously.
While
Adrift is best taken as a whole, the final minutes of “Cleansed” are monumental. Static creeps into the track, breaking the feeling of serenity. Amidst the xylophonic tones is an element of life. To elaborate, it’s as though Rosado’s journey has brought him back full circle, reentering the world he had left behind initially with an entirely new outlook; opening track “Descent” featured harsher static, as though Rosado had been looking back in disgust and simply couldn’t wait to get out of there, wherever
there was. As
Adrift ends similarly to how it began, it demonstrates the power of a fresh perspective brought on by comforting reinforcement, rather than judgement and discord. To a passive reader this might not mean much, but to me - as a parent, spouse, guy just trying to gain some fucking traction - it means everything.
