CD Review // Justin Wright "Music For Staying Warm" (First Terrace Records)

https://firstterracerecords.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-staying-warm //

The first song on "Music For Staying Warm" is called "Harmonic Loops (Playground Swings)" and it seems fitting as it kind of squeaks in the way the metal swings can sound on a playground.   The darker side of the cello comes out as well, as there is this somber side to the music when it does remind me of kids swinging on a playground. 

"Modular Winter" is the single from this album and it has a more classical feel to it, like the score to an art film that would likely have no words and be in black and white.   While the strings can come in and out, I find this mostly to be relaxing.    The way they come through layered on "In Sunlight" can feel like this cross between magic and being haunted and I really just enjoy that I can feel those two rather different things at the same time.

"Drone II: Flutter" really does feel like it's fluttering and that makes it slightly less relaxing but that's okay.    Not just because it is currently Spring as I type this, but the song "Flutes" really has that feeling of what's going on outside right now with it being bright and sunny, warming up all around and especially that idea of grass growing and flowers blooming.    "Drone III: Saudade" is a bit darker and the drones are not in numerical order but that is something probably realized for the best later on.

Aside from Bob Dylan, my Dad listens to a lot of classical music and I've only really known him to listen to classical music.   I think he would really enjoy this album by Justin Wright (a theory I might put to test one day because he listens to CDs in his car now) and I feel like that gives it some credibility in the sense of thinking of this as being songs played while sitting on a stool in a large hall, a very professional type of atmosphere.  The music itself can also take me away to another place and I'm always delighted when my mind can relax and drift.