Review Summary: A versatility act that is oddly unique and impressive, Feinberg cracks open the door to the previously-unexplored and somewhat oxymoronic territory of pleasurable muzak.
Somewhere in the middle of my first listen to *Soft Power*, I thought to myself, "this would make some lovely, potentially futuristic or contemporary music to be played overhead in an airport baggage claim."
My next thought was: "Look at your pathetic self, Alex. You've been reduced to listening to muzak for pleasure. Could you possibly stoop any lower?"
But that inner-Negative-Nancy was immediately followed by a strong realization: if it's muzak *and* it's genuinely lovely music, doesn't that make it something of an albatross?
Indeed, this is how I felt listening to "Flutter Intensity," which while solid isn't even among my favorite 3-4 on this 7-song instrumental release (somewhere halfway between an EP and an LP) by Feinberg.
I'll spare you the rest of my inner dialogue replay despite the fact that you're brimming with infatuation over it.
It's odd to me - seemingly oxymoronic even...isn't "muzak" synonymous with the craptastic sounds of a simpleton's office elevator? Yes, it sure is. And yet, it's not necessarily synonymous with bad music per se. To be clear, it usually is. I'm not a connoisseur of muzak, so I can't claim that it's always bad music, but from my experience that has always been the case. Until now. Ezra Feinberg has opened the door to previously-unexplored territory of pleasurable muzak, and it's damn impressive.
Indeed, this album could (and I'll be the first to advocate that it should) be played in many an office elevator. Yet it's also artful, beautiful, and graceful. Moreover, it's *versatile*: it can be substantively emotionally-rich and compelling if the listener wants it to be, but that isn't necessary. As background music, it is likely to be marginally-noticeable yet peacefully calming. As foreground listening, on the other hand, it feels like a modern version of live/electronic hybrid art music that recalls Patrick O'Hearn or the more whimsical (yet effective) side of the great Ulrich Schnauss. And it can certainly work along the spectrum between background and foreground listening.
Feinberg establishes himself not only through this oddly unique, yet impressive, versatility act. He also flexes strong compositional chops here, particularly on the first three tracks. Moreover, he demonstrates a knack for finding the right guest musicians; each track features 1-2 guest performers, yet the album flows through a journey that feels multi-dimensional without losing track of continuity. A strange coincidence, perhaps, is that there are only two guest artists who appear on more than one track: David Lackner and David Moore. Confusingly, the tracks featuring wind virtuoso David Lackner form (along with "Pose Beams") the more compelling portion of the album, whereas the creative energy during David Moore's appearances feels comparatively lackluster.
The final track, "Get Some Rest," though not necessarily the most memorable work here, is probably most representative of Feinberg's versatile foray into the strangely desirable land of *good muzak*.
3.75 stars (out of 5)
