Another Intensity
Neuma, 2025
9/10
The composer and environmental sound artist Philip Blackburn explores the natural world as a living, breathing concert hall across these 6 very distinct tracks.
“In Praise Of Clouds” opens the listen with a soft ambience, where a sonic droning emits wonder and mystery via an a cappella choral piece, and “Dawn Chorus, Still Life” follows with a cinematic mood that seems like a sci-fi sequence.
Halfway through, “Sounding Xibalba” uses strategic percussion amid a distinct eeriness that suits the setting deep inside the sacred Maya underworld of Mountain Cow Cave in Belize where it was recorded, while “Between Two Waves Of The Sea” brings to mind a ghostly orchestra.
“Floating Beneath The Surface” and “An Illegible Stone” exit the listen. The former emits a meditative quality akin to a sonic float tank, and the latter presents atypical interaction between percussionist Patti Cudd and cellist Madeleine Shapiro.
An effort that pushes and pulls with tension and release, Blackburn’s vision embraces the unpredictability of nature with much respect to flow, motion, stasis and flux that makes for an artistic and engaging experience.
Travels well with: Alex Lubet- Amy Levy: Songs Of Love And Loss; Peter Van Zandt Lane- Axils