Review Summary: Flash photography
Zachary Lindsay is one of the musicians that makes a lot of music, comfortably releasing new explorations at a rate between say, Buckethead and Mark Kozelek. In the case of artists like Viper, this constant homemade output becomes grating when the quality of music never consistently rises out of mediocrity, and is content to sacrifice caliber for quantity. Volcanic Queen's output is hardly as prolific, and across all of Zachary's projects there is a clear fulfillment of creative goals, but not often will the results be this personal, poignant, and developed. Moments Captured in a Different Light is a warm and melancholy ambient EP that functions in the way of numerous great ambient releases, with two lengthy tracks forming an A and B side that complement each other without overshadowing one another.
Noise is usually a critical element present in Volcanic Queen's music, but here we see almost none, instead opting for serene nostalgia and ruminations of tender moments. This style of ambient has been undertaken countless times before, but here it is tackled naturally and with virtuosity usually only heard from seasoned soft-boys. The opener, In The Palms of Our Hands swells and bends with gently lush chords for the first half before the chords fade away into a repeated, simple keyboard melody. The melody evolves but hardly, willing instead to rely upon its emotional weight, with great success. The notes not played instead pop into my head, along with some falsetto vocal melody that seems like it's been there the whole time, even if it's just in my mind. The last vacant minute of this song is a quiet ocean of white noise, appropriately wrapping up all your sorrows in a cozy blanket that seamlessly takes you to the next piece.
The second song, Let The Water Drown Your Sorrows, follows the example set but with even more fragile swells than before, and a more meandering nature. Like any good ambient should, this track especially triggers subconscious visions and tremors, without needing to speak a single word, or venture much of anywhere at all. Moments Captured in a Different Light is so obviously intimate that these twenty-six minutes are enchanting and stirring, when they could've so easily been dull and rambling. For those seeking a pleasant and maudlin sojourn, this is about as good as it gets.
