Good Vibes Edition: Jeffrey Silverstein, The Soft Pink Truth, The Breathing Effect, Harrington Gustin & Zahn And Holy Hive
By Aaron Stein Jun 3, 2020 • 8:51 am PDT
Jeffrey Silverstein: You Become The Mountain
For this week’s set of new albums, I thought I’d go with these five releases that are of the make-you-feel-good variety, some good vibes for your ears, body and soul. I hope they put a smile on your face. First up is the debut LP from Jeffrey Silverstein. On You Become the Mountain, the Portland songwriter mixes a meditative instrumental mindset with some poetic lyricism, inspired by the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. The result is a kind of zen indie folk, pure vibe, with a nice dose of cosmic pedal steel to match. The good stuff.
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The Soft Pink Truth: Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?
The Soft Pink Truth is Drew Daniel, who is half of the electronica duo Matmos. According to the release notes, this solo release, provocatively titled Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?, “began life as an emotional response to the creeping rise of fascism around the globe.” Even so, it’s the opposite of angry. The music is a calming influence that strives for beauty and finds it in electronic soothsaying and artful sound collage. It’s interesting and explorative, yes, and occasionally finds a groove, but it’s mostly a mood, soft and pink, for sure. Check it out.
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The Breathing Effect: Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process where light is turned into food, stored energy. It’s also the title of the new album from L.A. duo The Breathing Effect and it captures the vibe perfectly. Photosynthesis has a wonderful light-to-energy vibe to it, an illuminating mix of jazz, fusion and psychedelic elements. It’s the kind of album you’ll want to clear a part of your day to lose yourself in. Give it a listen, front-to-back, I think you’ll dig.
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Harrington, Gustin & Zahn: Tura Lura
Over the past year or two, Dave Harrington (guitar), Jeremy Gustin (drums) and Spencer Zahn (bass) played a sporadic bunch of weeknight gigs at the Brooklyn club LunAtico, taking an existing chemistry and fertilizing it in a low-pressure live setting. That chemistry is now preserved on the recently-released Tura Lura, a bravura recording of a trio in full sync with each other. It’s an exciting sythesis of sounds, rounded corners of jazz improv and folky Frisellian textures. It’s heartswelling vibe and then some. A must hear.
Holy Hive: Float Back to You
Hopefully, you’ve got some good vibrations going by now, relaxed body, smiling soul. Before I go, one more ya-gotta-listen. Float Back To You came out last week and I wouldn’t want you to go another day without having this one in your ears. Holy Hive play what they call “Folk Soul,” but whatever you call it, it’s 100% vibe music. Like Charles Bradley on a sunny day, the trio puts the ayyyyy in sunny day, a glorious laid back groove. You were looking for something to listen to on repeat all summer, this is it, my friends, this is it. Enjoy!
