Deane Nesbitt Jr. makes promising strides toward defining his own patch of experimental music. His latest album Soundtracks in the Sand features a collection of tracks that push at the edges without reinventing the wheel. And when they’re great, they sound simply timeless.
The musician’s compelling style moves between fragmented beats and heartfelt piano balladry. It’s musically less aggressive and texturally provocative, but he tangles esoteric phrases with raw vulnerability, making the feeling more personal and real.
Soundtracks in the Sand has plenty to recommend for classical and folk enthusiasts as it leans towards more vintage and ritualistic sounds. The tempos are largely slower and their sound design, already one of their strengths, becomes even more refined.
Shrouded with heavy strings, light drums and percussion, Deane Nesbitt Jr. uses spacious rhythmic frameworks to showcase the richness of the tracks. One of the favorites “Change for Chimps” stays true to it’s authentic tribalistic sounds, creating a setting that’s fascinating and majestic.
When Deane Nesbitt Jr. has less cover, though, or when the volume subsides and the production opens to reveal a wider frame, he offers something that lingers. With tracks such as “Angels of the Ice” and “Niagara!” the influence can be felt every time awe-inspiring piano melodies stir up mystifying emotions.
Soundtracks in the Sand is not an album about a genre or a style; it’s not about anything except the feeling that wells up while it’s playing. And that feeling, a hard-to-define mixture of melancholy and rapture, hits hard—and leaves a lingering mark.
