ambient / folk
From crushing death metal riffs to calm acoustic guitar fingerpicking, we at Merchants Of Air like ourselves a bit of variation. I don't think that's really a surprise for most of our readers. Throughout the years we have been getting comments about the versatility in genres on this website. It seems like everything is possible here.
But enough about us, let's dive into these 'Standing Waters' by Italian guitarist Maurizio Abate, a soothing blend of folk and ambient with a minimal touch of drone and with a warm, comforting atmosphere. That is pretty much all I need right now.
The digital version on bandcamp opens with a track titled 'Teaser Track' while 'Odonata' opens the physical edition. Shortly after pressing play, on either one of these tracks by the way, I'm imagining a walk over an Italian beach on a warm summer evening while nearby a street musician is playing beautiful, romantic but melancholic tunes on his acoustic guitar. It alternates between blissful folk and mesmerizing ambient soundscapes.
'Shaping The Mud' is my absolute favorite here, an acoustic track that dares to look forward and issues influences from post-rock. It's followed by the lingering 'Nymphs Dance', which feels like a long solo jam session. That musician from the previous paragraph is now carefully experimenting, testing melodies and plucking techniques. I like that. Halfway through the track I'm already doubting if this should be my favorite instead of the previous track.
But I guess that doesn't matter. All that matters is that this album is filled with acoustic guitar goodness. 'Pond Mood' is another one of those inspiring pieces of music, one with an immersive sound and a nostalgic atmosphere. 'Standing/Crumbling' is yours to discover, dear reader, and I urge you to try it out. This is a beautiful album, one that digs right into the essence of music and right into your soul.
Serge
But enough about us, let's dive into these 'Standing Waters' by Italian guitarist Maurizio Abate, a soothing blend of folk and ambient with a minimal touch of drone and with a warm, comforting atmosphere. That is pretty much all I need right now.
The digital version on bandcamp opens with a track titled 'Teaser Track' while 'Odonata' opens the physical edition. Shortly after pressing play, on either one of these tracks by the way, I'm imagining a walk over an Italian beach on a warm summer evening while nearby a street musician is playing beautiful, romantic but melancholic tunes on his acoustic guitar. It alternates between blissful folk and mesmerizing ambient soundscapes.
'Shaping The Mud' is my absolute favorite here, an acoustic track that dares to look forward and issues influences from post-rock. It's followed by the lingering 'Nymphs Dance', which feels like a long solo jam session. That musician from the previous paragraph is now carefully experimenting, testing melodies and plucking techniques. I like that. Halfway through the track I'm already doubting if this should be my favorite instead of the previous track.
But I guess that doesn't matter. All that matters is that this album is filled with acoustic guitar goodness. 'Pond Mood' is another one of those inspiring pieces of music, one with an immersive sound and a nostalgic atmosphere. 'Standing/Crumbling' is yours to discover, dear reader, and I urge you to try it out. This is a beautiful album, one that digs right into the essence of music and right into your soul.
Serge
