Caul – Light From Many Lamps

Light From Many Lamps is a rare kind of record. I have owned it for about two years now, and still find myself drawn to it again and again. I have loaned it to several people around my office and every single one of them loves it. (Two of them are sound techs.) The beautiful thing about this body of work is the way it washes over you, submerging your mind in a thick, dark ocean of sensation. The second track, O Thou Bright Crown of Pearl, literally makes me feel like I am slowly sinking into the depths. There is a particularly mesmerizing sound that hypnotically ebbs and flows like the swell of the surf. This is one of Caul’s strongest skills, he can mold sound that penetrates to the soul, using auditory sculpture as a direct conduit to your emotional core. Majestic tones, sorrowful strings, minimal environmental sounds, subdued and bombastic percussive elements all flow together, expertly crafted to enfold the listener in a world of tranquil darkness. Being swept away in this masterful work is a pleasure. My only complaint about this record is the lack of real classical instruments. There are a few places where the songs are crying out for a more organic, natural sounding voice. Especially Track ten, which has a brassy sound that would have been more eloquent had it come from an actual brass instrument. Along these lines, I must also point out that Caul’s technical proficiency shines on the rest of the sounds which are masterfully constructed, especially the ambient sounds, strings and pseudo-vocals. Like most art of this depth, it can take a little bit of effort to appreciate at first, but the feelings that are evoked once you become familiar with the material are well worth it. For example, track seven, Midnight’s Tongue, disturbed me a bit on first and second listen. The only piece with vocals, it has a very rich tapestry of Spanish melodies and meandering Arabian whispers. Then a crackling, almost adolescent sounding voice, speaking a poem is woven through it. Evoking a sort of dark romantic interlude in the desert night. The lyrics are sexually suggestive, reminiscent of the biblical Song of Songs. Upon further listening I have given in to the body of this song as a whole, and have been persuaded that it is one of the most beautiful and touching moments on the record. It acts as a sort of center point for the album, rooting in the world of humanity. This seems to make the sweeping ethereal presence of the rest of the album somehow more human. And thus more approachable, applicable, and ultimately moving.