RPM - Isolation Sessions album has launched
Album Insights
The making of our Isolation Sessions album was a great project with very cool results. Thematically the album is really more like two different half-albums than it is one whole album in how it feels (and how it is sequenced), yet the two halfs (if you want to call them that) are connected by a shared appraoch to the use of time and rhythm. To our delight we carved out the unique soundscape spaces we were seeking.
Isolation Sessions begins with the magical and wonderfully unique triad of Alhambra, Hyperion Kingdom and Piercing Light in Five Movements ... oh my! With these tunes we are immersed in rich orchestration, rythms and voices that leave the listener feeling that he or she is scene-centre in an epic movie!
Alhambra with its sonic spaces and melodic rhythm takes the listener on a vivid journey through ancient times at the palace fortress in Andalusia, Spain. The drumming and percussion here is the centre-forward scaffolding on which all else is built; that permits an empire of sounds; melodic structures which hold the imagination and allow the listener to see back in time, to eighth century and beyond.
With its outstanding orchestration, Hyperion Kingdom is such a rewarding tune to listen to. Here again you can feel the exploration of how timing and rhythm are used to provide a mystical tension that can only leave you wanting to catch the next plane to the Kingdom!
Then, last but not least, there is Piercing Light in Five Movements. This piece takes the listener on an epic, existential journey from a hidden dawn through the joy of good times in the clubs of Paris to an ominous dusk. Again we explore timing and rhythm and push into interesting new places. The subtle and nuanced orchestral music is bound to the club dance band music through a common melodic theme. The Listener cannot help but try to picture the musical scenes of each movement; Awakening, Club de Jazz, Corridor, Delusional Abandon and Terminus.
Isolation Sessions takes an interesting turn as one explores the second half of the album;
Blues Condition with its haunting bass line and divine organ, Les Paul Blues Jam with its staggered drums forcing a quiet funk, and RPM Live Jam a dark groove walk with the magic of the guitar and keys sneaking in right when your soul needs them to arrive. All of these have a somewhat familiar feel and flow with more basic instrumentation while at the same time they gently push out into the exploration of how timing and rhythm are used to transport the listener from the beginning to the end of the tune. A good listen will reveal much and leave the listener with a nod and a smile.
We hope you enjoy the album.
Randy Giles
RPM