It goes without saying that Infraplanetary is an emotional surplus that ebbs with downtempo lava flows as it sheds dub elements. Skytree has evolved, as would be expected, and the result is a surreal musical voyage worth taking.
An emotional surplus that ebbs with downtempo lava flows
Evan Snyder (aka Skytree) has been at it for quite a while, checking my own collection, I’ve been following his work since with Boltfish (Hyphae, 2010) and Herb Recordings (Windings of the Dragon, 2009). Now, fast-forward six years since Cirrus Sapiens (Skytree Music, 2014) and we see the talented Mountain region musician continue his pursuit of creating an “ongoing creative conversation with our strange and beautiful planet.” It goes without saying that Infraplanetary is an emotional surplus that ebbs with downtempo lava flows as it sheds dub elements. Skytree has evolved, as would be expected, and the result is a surreal musical voyage worth taking.
Starting from the tail-end, “Silmaril” washes over the senses with its drifting drones and synthesized beauty as does the opener “Sanitas Ft. Erothyme” while the psychedelic soundscapes of The Orb are called upon on tracks like “Terran Dub” and “Enhydro.” Skytree dabbles in infinitesimal electronic noodles with harmonious rhythms—its layers textured ever so slightly as found sounds appear out of nowhere. Organic shifting beats and bass fade in and out of the horizon as tracks like “Minas Gracia” and “Otolith” float by inconspicuously and with a serene sense of wonder. There are instrumental hip-hop moments as evidenced on the chilled-out, deep-space reflections of “Navigator.” Vocalized trip-hop tropes are explored on the contagious contributions of Jackson Whalan and Nova Zef on “Ocean Rocks & Building Blocks” and “Atomic Priest” ultimately balancing Infraplanetary as a fluid mixture of sonic shapes that bend and contort like no other. Not forgetting Skytree’s adeptness with slippery glitch soundscapes as found on tracks like “Trovant,” “Otolith,” and “Superluminal Object,” the album packs many audible sparks inside of 13 tracks and unique collaborators you’ll find in the liner notes.
Infraplanetary soars from this circular cosmic spot to the outer realms of our universe and back. Creating a soundtrack that unifies without stranding us mere earthlings. Our Pale Blue Dot, as Carl Sagan once tagged our planet, noted that “On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives … on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.” One can easily identify that we are still suspended in a sunbeam and perhaps Infraplanetary is our musical escape from these strange times as it offers a retreat and allows that creative conversation to flourish, but only if we let it.
Infraplanetary is available on Timewheel. [Bandcamp]
