Release Date: August 1, 2024
Label: Allemande Music
Hans Christian's versatile skills on the cello, lap steel
guitar, Sitara, psaltery, fretless bass, keyboards, and programming, combined
with Thomas Barquee's mastery of piano and keyboards, promise a musical journey
that is both diverse and expressive with emotion.
There is no track under five minutes so that you will get a
panoramic and absorbing musical experience. As mentioned in the publicity
notes, there's room to breathe in Meloydia,
and the music speaks equally well during soft background listening and a
focused listening session.
"The Gift" begins the recording. The track is very
peaceful and precise. The instrumentation is excellent in portraying a gift for
a listener, whatever that may be. It is reflective and sweet to engage the
soul. The gift is the music itself, as its calming effect sets a tone you may
anticipate throughout the rest of the listen. However, that is not the case.
"The Promise" is the most extended piece on the album
at 8:22. The piano and keys enter the mix, playing off each other, and that
pairing is beautiful. The cello comes in nicely to add another soothing layer
of instrumentation. The pace picks up at about the halfway point, as the keys
lead the way with an orchestration followed by a rhythmic piano. It goes from
calming to cinematic with more energy. It circles back to the cello, and the
orchestration returns to accentuate the piece. The entire composition sounds
perfect for a scene in a movie.
"Persistence of Time" follows the energy of the
previous track. A more upbeat introduction sets the atmosphere, then quickly
changes to a more defined approach. The music moves like a person taking steps
towards something with a purpose or how a river may flow before and after a
hard rain. And even though there is that variation, its ambiance is quite
lovely.
"Opalescence" begins with the Sitara, which sounds
very Middle Eastern. The bass and percussion add an excellent rhythmic sense to
the piece. It all sounds very world-new age and cinematic at the same time. It summons
images of a faraway land, like a vast desert of silence in a
never-before-visited territory. It creates a sense of wonder and the unknown.
"Your Heart Remains," based on the title, could make you
feel that it would be a very reflective composition. It begins as such and then
changes a bit with more colorful instrumentation added to get your attention
and focus so you can hear what may happen next. The lap steel makes its
presence known, adding a flavor you had not experienced up to this point. The
longing you feel with that sound, a country bluesy effect, pulls at your
heartstrings as the artists intended.
"That One Thing" starts with the piano leading off,
and the cello comes along to create a layer that cries out like the cello
always does. Once again, the lap steel gives the piece a feeling far off the
horizon. As the cello cries out, the lap steel answers with sadness. The track
picks up the pace as an acoustic guitar starts strumming, like a horse
galloping to keep up. I like the lap steel addition even more in this track as
it is more poignant. As the track gets about three-quarters of the way through,
the cello returns and all the other instruments intermingle for a combined
sound, which makes it one of the highlights of the listen so far. Excellent!
As the title indicates, "Do We Remember" would need to
be more cerebral. A combination of instruments joins in with some
orchestrations from programming that add another layer of atmosphere. Once
again, the Sitara gives the composition more color and flavor because it stands
out with its unique tone and is placed well in the piece. I enjoyed this
music's shifting sounds and paces, which kept my interest going from beginning
to end.
"An Echo's Soul" is a title that sounds profound and
meaningful. It comes in at precisely five minutes to close out the recording.
The subdued mood and color give you time to focus on the sounds and
frequencies, so it would be apparent to hear your soul echo feelings and
translate them into something lucid. It will be meaningful for those who can
use music to relax totally or meditate. Either way, it is very effective as the
bass and keys are beautiful and soft, like a billowing cloud passing by on a
clear blue sky. It takes you away and removes you from one train of thought to
another.
This recording is called Meloydia
for a reason, and once you listen, you will understand why.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder
July 20, 2024
Tracks:
1. The Gift (7:45)
2. The Promise (8:22)
3. Persistence of Time (6:13)
4. Opalescence (6:15)
5. Your Heart Remains (5:20)
6. That One Thing (6:40)
7. Do We Remember (5:43)
8. An Echo’s Soul (5:00