Gordon Midgley & Joan Silentio – Sometimes

With analogue instruments, a bass/drum setting and mysterious vocals “Sometimes” invites you to a mysterious, oddworld dimension between electro, krautrock, pop, dark wave and trip hop.

If the description I gave you just confused you – don’t worry, you’ll dive into the sound as we take a look at “Sometimes”, one of the tracks off the album “Subjects” of skilled multi-instrumentalist Gordon Midgley and outstanding vocalist Joan Silentio.  While Midgley does all the instruments, Joan plays the e-piano and, more importantly, adds a huge portion of mysterious glow to the track with these half-spoken, half chanted lyrics which are derived from texts of medieval mystic Meister Johannes Eckhart. Sure, you can hear her accent while she does those lyrics, but you just gotta love the diversity these vocals bring along. Without her signature style and the unique blend Midgley adds up, the track would just be one amongst thousands others in the end.

This is one track of a whole concept album called “SUBJECTS” which was released a couple of weeks ago on bandcamp. First off, I think the idea of creating an album around texts and writings of someone (no matter who it is) is plain awesome. It shows that Midgley uses music not only as an expression, but a lifestyle. Forming music around the non-musical works of others is not only a humble hommage, but also indicates that there’s a true artist at work. It’s not just your good-old c-d-g chords, and thats it – its WAY more. It’s thinking out of the box, it’s creating something new with the initial thought of someone else. That is what serious music is about, folks.

Back to the music, Midgley does almost all the instruments, and he is very skilful at doing so. I especially feel the solo guitar passages in the track, and the defensive played drums. Those come with an awesome vintage feel either through recording or mixing work. The music progresses as if it was a leaf going down the waterstream of a small river. Sometimes it’s energetic, pressing, sometimes there are relaxation moments happening. (Yes, this is exactly what is meant by calling it “flow”, guys.) While listening to this track, you can hear the groove from within. Soulful playing, you know.

In the description of the album Midgley stated “We often discover the answer was in front of us all along but we require a lengthy journey of experience to be able to recognise it.” Take a time to read that again, folks. This is true on all levels. This track, better yet, this album proves that music itself raises some questions, and that it has to be serious, deep and widely branched sometimes. Sure, we all like the everyday happy tune once in a while, but it’s music like THIS that gives meaning to the whole concept. This is something to remember. And to put on repeat.

SUBJECTS on bandcamp
SUBJECTS on soundcloud
Joan Silentio on soundcloud
Napier’s Bones on soundcloud