Monochrome is a new solo album from Daniel Cavanagh, following hot on the heels of the latest Anathema album, The Optimist.
The album is described by Cavanagh as having “…a late night, candlelit feeling, evoking the light of dusk as the summer sun sinks below the horizon, setting the scene for thoughts and meditations that many people will relate to.“
Album opener The Exorcist ushers in this mood beautifully. Sustained piano notes hang over synth sequences as the arrangement evolves. A close cousin to Are You There?, Cavanagh delivers an emotional vocal. Sometimes the most simple arrangements hit you hardest, and this is most definitely the case with Monochrome.
This Music features Anneke Van Giersbergen as co-vocalist. Sparse lyrics let you focus on the instrumentation, which delivers one of the most joyful, uplifting songs on the album.
Anneke joins Daniel on the beautiful Soho. A slow-building arrangement, this is one of Monochrome‘s strongest performances. Soho could easily have graced any of the recent Anathema albums. The second section of the song has an array of well-crafted reverb and delay treatments on the synth pads that underpin the piano line.
Piano is the lead instrument on Monochrome, and the albums longest track, The Silent Flight Of The Raven Winged Hours, is where the playing really shines. There is a wonderful mixture of piano tones and its clear that the effects and treatments are being ‘played’ as much as the actual instruments. The mostly instrumental The Silent Flight Of The Raven Winged Hours is the most progressive sounding track on the album and at times, feels a little like it could also be drawing inspiration from the post-rock sound of bands such as Mono (particularly Hymn To The Immortal Wind) as much as from the emotional intensity of Talk Talk and Sigur Ros.
The guitar intro of another mostly instrumental track, Dawn draws us back to the classic recent Anathema sound. The violin of Anna Phoebe shines on one of the shorter pieces.
Oceans Of Time builds from its feather-light intro section. Brush drums and organ underpin this soothing, calming piece. Layer upon layer is gently added to the mix as we arrive at the middle section of the song, which is a piece of pure beauty. You can almost feel the tension in the studio as everything is stripped back to the piano and acoustic guitar. Its an intensely moving part of my favourite track on the album.
The album closes with Some Dreams Come True. There is magic living in these notes – I’ve always loved the Anathema songs where a motif repeats and slowly mutates, which is what happens with the first part of Some Dreams Come True. Fans of Steve Reich will surely approve. The arrangement builds in the second part, almost reprising the songs that have gone before.
Monochrome feels like it was made for a particular purpose. To calm, reassure and lift your mood. It feels a million miles away from the sort of album you can dip in and out of, in this playlist obsessed, instant gratification era.
So whether you listen to this album on CD, vinyl or via streaming, pop on your best headphones, close your eyes and immerse yourself in this music.
The Exorcist
This Music
Soho
The Silent Flight Of The Raven Winged Hours
Dawn
Oceans Of Time
Some Dreams Come True
Buy Monochrome by Daniel Cavanagh on CD
Buy Monochrome by Daniel Cavanagh on vinyl
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