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Upstate Promotions Review
Normally, I don't listen to much techno music, so when I received a copy of Damien Simon's work, Muddle, I was a bit hesitant as to how I'd go about reviewing it. So I decided to give the album a quick scan, to see if anything stood out to me. One thing that I noticed throughout the album was the consistency and complexity of the different layers and instruments used in the compositions. And while techno music seems to be the backdrop to night clubs and action sequences in movies, the versatility of Damien's music seems to almost have limitless possibilities.
The album opens slowly and softly with the shortest composition, Longlife (excerpt). The song showcases the colorful, exotic, and somewhat mesmerizing guitar riffs that are just absolutely beautiful. The next two songs open up into the pounding, rhythmic dance beats you'll find in most night clubs, but they both mix in tasteful flavors that really bring the music to the next level. Guitar and piano dance through the songs and help in the slow breakdowns and calm the music down at the perfect points before building back into the musical beasts that Damien has created. The fourth track, Abatrick, has a somewhat Latin feel to it, with groovy bass riffs and the technical guitar work you find prominent throughout the album. The album finishes on the last track, Endura, with an powerful techno beat that paints a mental picture of a fight between good and evil and is in my opinion, the culmination of all the talent and just pure musical genius found throughout the album, extremely well done.
So in conclusion, this album really merits the attention of anyone, whether they're a fan of techno music or not. You can't help but realize the amount of compositional talent found through the album. One other beautiful thing about this album is it's ability to paint vivid mind pictures. You can see yourself traveling through lush worlds as the music paints the landscapes into your mind. Night clubs, movies and video games are only a few venues this music could be displayed in, I personally have a newfound respect for this genre that has remained all but a mystery to me in times past.
Dave Sullivan
- Upstate Promotions (NYS)
Discography
MUDDLE - 2005
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Damien Simon
Muddle
Buffalo-based composer and guitarist Damien Simon has made a name for himself as a writer of scores for film, theater and dance productions. So perhaps it is not surprising that while Simon’s latest musical exploration, Muddle is a distinct departure from the traditional concept of dramatic orchestration, the recording contains all of the same sensational theatricality that usually accompanies a cinematic or dramatic score. Oh yeah, and you can dance to it too!
After studying music composition at Purchase College and at The University of Dublin, Damien Simon toured the U.S. as a solo artist and recorded two independently released CDs. Those performances and recordings both earned rave reviews for their combination of classical and ambient arrangements and so impressed noted Toronto dance producers and remixers DJ Iain and 303Dreams (whose previous client list includes new spins on artists ranging from Madonna to Sloan) that they happily agreed to work the board for Simon’s next record.
After over a year of careful preparation, Simon’s new record is finally ready to drop and is sure to electrify the airwaves with its singular sound. Muddle is a record that seamlessly blends ambient soundscapes, tight rhythms and contagious melodies into one richly eclectic listening experience. So what exactly do you call this type of music? Classical-trance? Ambient techno? While it is difficult to easily categorize Muddle with any definitive catchphrase, the musician behind the recording is happy to call it “Progressive Trance” and leave it at that. “This is really just an electronic version of my orchestral work,” says Simon. “Each piece has its own personality … there’s nothing the same about any of them.”
The artist certainly nails it on the head there. The album is flush with a variety of tones and musical themes. Muddle starts with a subdued but slowly surging intro that barely hints at the sonic maelstrom that is to follow. The disc’s first song, “Longlife (Excerpt)”, displays hints of middle-eastern, classical and jazz influences. While Simon's methodical guitar licks dance over a hypnotic beat, the listener quickly realizes that they are in store for an exciting new listening experience. By the next track, “Color Green”, the tempo has been raised and the track's polyrhythms propel the cut into a ready-made dance-floor classic. Synths dramatically swell to a point where Damien's delicately finger-picked guitar notes take over, setting a dramatic sounding theme that provides the cut with its memorable hook. The groove seamlessly continues with lilting yet funky instrumental “Abatrick” and the extended beat meditations “Bellow” and “Endura” two fast-paced, hypnotically rhythmic pieces that gradually bring the recording to its breathless conclusion.
Being both contagiously upbeat and mesmerizing, Muddle manages to represent the perfect soundtrack for either starting or ending your evening. An impressive new chapter in the Electronica genre, Muddle is sure to quickly bring Simon wide exposure in dance clubs and radio stations.
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