Credits:
Helios
Description:
The long-awaited new release from HELIOS! A well-balanced blend of live instruments and electronics, the warm and expansive ambient-electronica of Goldmund and Mint Julep with his wife, Keith Kenniff is a multi-talented composer, and this is his third new album under the Helios name, after signing with Ghostly International. This is his third new album since signing with Ghostly International. While his recent works were non-beat ambient, this album introduces beats and a well-balanced blend of live instruments and electronics, striking a balance between engaging, hypnotic compositions and catchy, lighthearted tunes, and is an excellent example of Helios at an intriguing crossroads. A multi-talented composer, Keith Kenniff's catalog spans a dozen releases as Helios and nearly as many as Goldmund since 2004; Goldmund favors post-classical piano, and his project with partner Holly Goldmund prefers post-classical piano, while Mint Julep, a project with partner Holly, is shoegaze pop.Under the name Helios, the band moves between minimal ambient electronics and more robust instrumentation, all of which they run through a mini cassette recorder to create unique fluctuations. 2018 signed to Ghostly International, and their first album Veriditas," he emphasized texture over structure, shaping lush landscapes with harmonic sounds. The follow-up, 2020's "Domicile," was an ode to a quieter, synth-toned interior. The music of Espera, now released, is lush and vibrant and perhaps the most singular of his works. The title is important in his work, and "Espera," Spanish for "wait," speaks to the producer's patient, cinematic craft. The album strikes a balance between engaging, hypnotic songs and catchy romping, and Helios finds himself at a fascinating crossroads.In recent years, the project has fit neatly into the beatless category, but during the production process of this album, he incorporated downtempo percussion, both acoustic and electronic, and felt a natural draw to it. The arrangements swell with layers of guitar and piano, and his usual tape treatment gives them a warmer, more intimate feel, homemade yet expansive, vibrant yet peaceful. He adds, "The aesthetics of the instrumental textures were as important as the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms themselves." (1/2)
Tracklisting:
1.Fainted Fog
2.Intertwine
3.All The While
4.Every Time
5.Impossible Valleys
6.Lineoa
7.A Familiar Place
8.Lowland
9.Well Within
10.Emeralds (ft. Hollie Kenniff)
11.Rounds
