Peter Broderick – Float

Peter Broderick isn't shy about letting his compositions FLOAT, carried in space primarily by his piano parts while the other elements develop around it, like the strings around the surprisingly spry "A Snowflake" or the whistling around the more sedate "Floating/Sinking." Meanwhile, "A Glacier" takes its time to build, and a wintery bluster blows around the initial minutes of "Stopping On The Broadway Bridge." Amanda Lawrence's lonely voice walks around "Another Glacier," but it's electronic blips that accompany the instrumentation on "Broken Patterns." The closing dyad of "An Ending" and "A Beginning" brings the album to a quiet meditative end that, unsurprisingly, allows the listener to continue to float.

Needs a repress, eruuuuurrrrghhhhh.

Perhaps it's possible to stop comparing some contemporary classical musicians to Max Richter, and instead begin comparing them to Peter Broderick. After a release of a 7" single on John Twells' (Xela) Type Records, Portland based Peter Broderick emerges with a full length album, Float. For this release, Broderick borrows his friends Amanda Lawrence for string and vocal work, and Skyler Norwood to aid in recording and effects from a collaboration on Loch Lomond's Paper The Walls (Hush Records, 2007). Float is immediately bold, familiar, and elegant. As any soundtrack written for a passing life, it transcends its message past the minor key. At first the album sounds too comfortable, like a soft blanket thrown over the frigid winter feet. I feel as if I've heard this sound before, perhaps in a forgotten film, or as a fragment of a beloved prelude. But as I let my mind break down the composition, the messages begin to emerge. I'll let you hear your own details - I'd hate to lock the music into words. Broderick's banjo playing adds an interesting element to the ensemble of the [usual] piano, strings and an occasional guitar. And I can't help but draw a parallel between the ages of Broderick and Ólafur Arnalds - both are only twenty one! With that said, may I claim that modern classical is at the beginnings of a new cycle, with young multi-instrumentalists incorporating both, organic and electronic, leading the way. Highly recommended! A cozy cinematic score. Check out above mention artists plus Harold Budd, Michael Nyman, Alberto Iglesias, Clint Mansell and of course Jóhann Jóhannsson.