Vipers At The Onyx
Bright Shiny Things, 2026
10/10
The composer and neuroscientist Dave Solider presents us symphonic works fleshed out by the Prague Filmharmonic Orchestra, led by Adam Klemens, for these 9 classically influenced tracks.
“El Amanecer” opens the listen with dreamy winds and warm percussion surrounded by graceful strings that float with much care, and “Rahsaan” follows with a darker mood that emits a cinematic quality.
In the middle, “Abayzin” represents the ancient Gitano, Jewish and Muslim quarter across the Darro River with eloquence and grace, while “Kumiho” is both tense and soft, where the French horn solo from Jan Vobořill won’t go unappreciated.
Landing close to the end, “Lorette Velvette” contains both sweet and sour ideas that honor the riot grrrl singer of the same name, and “SamulNori” exits with a dedication to the percussion wizard Kim Duk-Soo, as the sounds of a night storm on the Korean coast bring many different facets of the orchestra’s talents.
Soldier has had much success in a variety of genres, and his work here is preserved in its iconoclastic vision and flows across many atypical sounds and textures that are entirely his own and are nothing short of symphonic brilliance.
Travels well with: Nick Revel- The Hero Levels; Miró Quartet- Ginastera String Quartets