The Night That Laid Still out on shade::red

A great self-released EP from Justin McGrath [justinmcgrath.com]. The title track tastefully combines live instrumentation with programmed drums and sound design elements to create a dreamy, melancholy mood reminding me of all those nights that I wish stood still, but unfortunately did not, inevitably coming to an end. The following track, “Overly Conscious”, lightens the mood a bit (but only a bit) with its pensive violins and rich piano chords. The dreaminess and spaciousness of the title track then develop into ever deeper and moodier expanses of soothing (yet eerie) ambiance of the following pieces. This is where the journey begins. We leave our mundane concerns and self-indulgent desires and begin to experience something else, something otherworldly, pure and light. Hope I’m not sounding too new agy… but really, if you let your mind drift along withe the sounds, you’ll end up in some magical places. Finally “Deconstruction” gently brings you back to to reality while soothing piano and guitar reinterpret the title track.

The accompanying video, by Bridget Driessen (who also did the artwork) provides a great visual component (you can get an idea by watching the teaser video).

The EP also includes a bonus collections of Remixes.