| Artist: Dustin O'Halloran Album:Lumiere Released: 17 April 2011 |   |
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The film music of Dustin O'Halloran is occasionally mistaken for impressionistic piano works by Erik Satie, while the tracks on his album Lumiere (43'21") will surely be compared to the ambient chamber music of Tim Story or the minimalistic classicism of Max Richter. O'Halloran's pieces for piano and string ensemble do indeed posses the simplicity, innovative harmonies, freedom of form and musical understatement as those by his older contemporaries. The nine sophisticated, truth-seeking songs on Lumiere range from sanguine to supernal. At the center of each is O'Halloran's piano, which tells every heartfelt story in melody and tone. The surrounding string section and frequent ethereal effects add interesting textures and layers, but just as easily the piano may go unaccompanied - creating an open and even more intimate space between listener and performer. This is not Ambient Music for the periphery, these compositions beg to be listened to. It has been said that, "music is the shorthand of emotion", and this sensual journey arrives at a place of rare beauty.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 2 June 2011 | |
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