Each day plays out the same, at least for those who peruse the news sites and social media: outrage, outrage, and more outrage. It’s a never-ending cycle. The blood pressure spikes, then spikes again, the stress growing stronger and stronger the longer we scroll. The incessant drumbeat of bad tidings has infiltrated every aspect of modern life, just about, from the arts to entertainment to sports and other diversions. Everyone is mad about something. Much of it is warranted, granted, but much of it—though the stewards of social media say otherwise—is not. My advice: Turn off and tune out—for a little while, at least. Breath deep. Exhale. And again. Cleanse the mind of the nonsensical clutter.
The latest long player from British producer-composer SOHN, who’s worked with such artists as BANKS, Kwabs, Rhye and Lana Del Rey through the years, provides a perfect template for such meditations. The ambient musings, which he recorded at daybreak, flow like a river to the sea, conjuring no less than the mood-inducing works of such artists as Tangerine Dream and Vangelis, even Philip Glass and George Winston. In the press release, he explains, “Given what had been happening in the news cycle, words and songs felt somehow inappropriate, and I really struggled to convey emotion in a way that satisfied me. I began a morning practice of improvisation—capturing my moods and thoughts before the day began. In a time when words were failing me, these dawn songs came to my rescue.”
In some respects, Albadas (Dawn Songs) is the audio equivalent of the sun rising over the horizon and gradually showering the earth with its orangish hue. The world looks so peaceful then, doesn’t it? Some tracks take me back to the early and mid-1980s due to their synth-driven motifs, with the associated memories—all warm—serving as wonderful mantras. The stress of the day seeps through the pores. I’m sure others will hear escapes tailored to them in the melodies, which range from breezy to taut and spiky. They’re open-ended instrumentals, in that sense.
(For those seeking more information about SOHN, this Metal & DVST interview is well worth the read.)
The Old Grey Cat 
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