Review Summary: Great soundscapes? Matt Kidd has them!
Have you ever been in the car, listening to music, staring out into the big, vast, open space that is on display, and even though inside of the car, you experience flying above it? Watching yourself drive along the country road with nothing else on your mind, music in your ears, you almost stop paying attention to the road. You drift, you float. Then the music ends.
By the first notes being played, it becomes apparent that Matt Kidd's signature sound is different from other ambient/post-rock guitarists. The audible headroom is used in a way where each instrument is detailed and is deliberately given space to roam freely. The melodies are delivered by guitar and is used to move the experience forward. It is not the amount of effects driving the guitar that uniquely identifies Matt Kidd as a guitarist, but rather the remembrance of a familiar tone that guides the listener through the experience.
The soundscape succeeds by encouraging the more minimalistic take on creativity. It is not the overly delayed guitars, the beating of the drums, or even the big backing orchestra, that makes this album great. It is the idea of taking a small idea and building upon it until perfection. Yes, these five songs are supposedly ´Sound Sketches´, question is: do we need more?
If you are into instrumental/ambient/experimental music, give this album a spin!
