Portals
Don Giovanni, 2021
8/10
The Native American award winner Keith Secola returns after a 9 year hiatus, where his Anishinabe Nation influence is quite present on these less rock and roll focused tunes that instead are instrumental and very guitar, flute and percussion heavy.
“Eastern Glow” opens the listen with a soothing atmosphere, as calming flute guides the nearly New Age like sounds, and “Arne’s Theme” continues the meditative spirit with soft guitar work to complement the dreamy climate.
Near to the middle, the title track is bit more firm as playful drumming adds a dance friendly aspect, while “Seeds” mixes keys into the cautious and mysterious demeanor. “Spirit Journey”, one of the album’s best, then emits a very stirring and emotive display that’s cosmically enticing.
Close to the end, “The Spin Of The Earth” is a bit fuller with percussive ideas entering the rhythmic landscape, and “Waves Of Gitchi Gumi” exits the affair with pop ideas populating Secola’s unique formula of genre defying song craft.
Not so surprisingly, Secola has been dubbed the ‘Neil Young of the Native Rock world’, and this very unique listen certainly solidifies that sentiment with timeless, diverse and very humble sounds. Perhaps you weren’t aware that you needed more atmospheric flute music in your life, but one listen here and you’ll be convinced otherwise.
Travels well with: Juraj Kojs- Imagine; Ros Bandt- Medusa Dreaming