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From the edge of the galaxy the view is beautiful. Having tired of considering our planet Paul Ellis now enjoys the Warmth From Other Suns (77:32). Conjuring seven electronic synth spaces of thoughtful sonic expressions he infuses the sky with ideas. His realizations drift around the listening area so fully formed that one feels as though they could easily reach out and pluck something substantial from the teeming aural surroundings. Characterized by a slippery, smart, supple style and underpinned by complex compositional arrangements Warmth From Other Suns fills out in a fascinating array of moods, states and sensations. Representing different scenes, signs and seasons each track treks into its own remarkable tone and texture. From a sense of instability, turbulence and melancholy on to a buoyant slipstream of sounds this work of cerebral, far-reaching compositions is a monument to creativity and the imagination driving it. As bold and expressive lead lines seem to speak directly to the listener, repeating sequencer structures cycle subtly through light and dark keys, conveying us to deeper levels of our own mind. The signal, soaring up, melting, twisting into itself unleashes a dizzying cascade of free-floating melodies and drifty narratives - which settle, then recede into the distance in a poignant quietude. Paul Ellis may be at peace, but he is not at rest. An inventive current courses through him, and pushes to be shared. Across his many releases he has developed an authentic musical voice that is not only recognizable, but indispensable. Through the strange miracle of this album's existence it summons an air of optimism - in hopes of moving us to re-engage more generously with the world we know and must live in.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 15 May 2025 |
