Crombie "Forest Walk" (This Generation Tapes)
By Peter A. Holden
Thursday. Dec 22, 12:44 AM
Airy and floating lounge grooves.

Airy and floating lounge grooves. I think this review could survive on just that sentence. In fact, more words might dilute the perfection of the simplicity that makes Crombie’s music so effective. I’m sure its members would say “wow, real original thinking there, Mr. Reviewer,” but you know what? That’s exactly what their music is: very mellow and coasting and classically simple.

Their debut album, Forest Walk, is a mood maker. It’s the kind of album you put on and let the chill grooves seep into your body and lull you into peace. It’s an aural adventure into the tastefully layered and uncomplicated. The very essence of the music is that it’s restive and wandering, but so smooth and soothing that it always keeps you calm. Its musical strength comes from the interplay of gentle, musical phrase-ology, and the development of a melody that often seems hidden till the end.

Crombie do an incredible job of creating a landscape in your ears. They delicately craft their songs so as not to give in to any electronic music clichés, but still utilize samples to a heavy degree to set the pace and the quirkiness of the music. There is as much real instrumentation here as there are electronic musical additions. In fact, what becomes apparent is that most of the music is created in the analog realm. At no time is any one instrument the key focus either. Instead, Crombie blend a canvas of beautiful and pristine tones and colors. Forest Walk is like trance music that doesn’t rely on any hallucinogenic substances for you to appreciate and deeply respect it. Notice I said “like” trance music. Crombie create something far beyond that in creative as well as musical aspects.

You’ll start out actively listening to Crombie, but finish feeling like you never needed to try at all.
www.crombieonline.com
www.thisgenerationtapes.com

Peter A. Holden

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