Featuring delicate old tape machine samples alongside a 20-strong ensemble of world-class musicians, recorded in four countries, clearly the compositions use the full spectrum of natural and synthetic symphonics, combining perfectly into these classically informed arrangements.
Natural and synthetic symphonics
Featuring delicate old tape machine samples alongside a 20-strong ensemble of world-class musicians, recorded in four countries, clearly the compositions use the full spectrum of natural and synthetic symphonics, combining perfectly into these classically informed arrangements and ambient soundscapes to create a captivating push-pull between the polished and the raw. Sam Joseph Delves’ ability to balance his fundamental musical skill with the less predictable nature of his extensive sound journaling and processing creates a unique and immersive sonic palette, providing “a reflection on belonging, with inspiration drawn from his nomadic lifestyle of recent years.”
Imagine a distant music box that can transport the listener back in time, found in the attic with all the hats and coats boxes of boots, perfectly produced and extraordinary. “I sell stone water” (3:59) to my ears has a sentimental old sound, as if through dusty lace, lush strings unfolding in complex ways into a long slow luxurious fade. The feeling is slow and sad, deep in memories and thick with nostalgic clues. I will always ponder the deal with the stone water.
With a slow fade-in adding strings in play, “Content” (3:48) starts off expanding and rising, adding more instruments to tell a peaceful sonic story with lots of details, dreams and lightness quickly becoming complex under the surface, singing strings flowing easily almost anywhere, building slowly widening and strengthening until our diversion ends in the studio abruptly.
Coming in low and slow, there are lots of things happening here, “An honest day” (4:18) begins where a form soon takes shape, and now we are on the inside of a picture. What I hear here is a playful melody, a slow march grows into a full orchestra, once it arrives there is an interesting percussive effect with a snare roll, into an abrupt quiet and we fade on down to distant atmospherics, dissolving into a glitchy veil at the end of the track.
A haunting and mysterious presence ::
Moving into an emotional and sensitive dawn, “I miss you endlessly” (4:36) leaves a haunting and mysterious presence, with drone bowed strings and a hesitant melody, slow and detailed bowed drones. As sure as sadness can be, tragedy might become a sunrise, but not before the end of the song. My favorite part is where there is almost an ending in the midst of the track, which returns with chamber music velvet strings swelling and fading and swelling again on and on, a perfect ending of such slow sad depth. I think I hear a drone accordion within the sparse melodic activity that gains more details and expands as the orchestra emerges, perfect, and then settling down afterwards. I could be off about the accordion.
As an established composer of music to picture, Sam Joseph Delves writing has featured in documentary series throughout Europe. His latest work marks a new chapter in his musical journey. With plans in 2024 to bring his music to new audiences through audio-visual collaborations and live on stage, he is tipped as an exciting new figure in the crossover classical scene.
Content is available on Equals Music. [Bandcamp]
