Now Is

by Rival Consoles

Overview

Rival Consoles' eighth album follows two of the most ambitious, conceptual releases the producer has made so far, Articulation and Overflow. On Now Is, he seems to be deliberately stepping back from the headiness of his previous two albums and creating something lighter and more easygoing, with a natural flow to it. The record incorporates acoustic instruments along with modular synthesizers, though usually in a subtle manner, with woodwinds momentarily drifting in the mix near the beginning of "Frontiers," for example. The tracks tend to focus on glowing, breathing melodies rather than complex rhythms. "World Turns" features staggered patterns and dusty feedback over a steady midtempo thump, while the particularly stirring "Eventually" has icy notes rippling from a post-dubstep beat. The simmering title track is closer to the ambient side of trance, with a bridge featuring distant tones blurring the lines between strings and synths. "Echoes" has a simple, standout melody that is explored in great detail, with chiming percussion folded in during the breakdown, and "Running" similarly contains crafty drum editing. While the album is never quite intense, it definitely slows down and decreases its energy during the final stretch. "The Fade" is a blurry, snowy interlude, and "A Warning" is closer to ambient jazz, with slow, gentle drums steadily framing a gleaming melody that is slightly twisted and smudged through effects. Lastly, "Quiet Home" is a glacial piano piece that feels like bundling up by the fire in a cabin during a blizzard. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	10/21/2022
Label:	Erased Tapes Records
UPC:	3700551784356

Tracks

1. Beginnings
2. World Turns
3. Eventually
4. Frontiers
5. Vision of Self
6. Now Is
7. Echoes
8. Running
9. The Fade
10. A Warning
11. Quiet Home

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rival Consoles   Primary Artist
Murray Jamieson   Piano

Technical Credits

Rival Consoles   Composer