An illuminating electronic single with late-night mystique, “At Bay” is a captivating atmospheric success from Sydney-based electroacoustic composer Maddy Briggs. A shimmering, enigmatic sound is propelled by “recycled piano and organ recordings,” which were originally intended for the Alex Bateman short film, Eulogise Me.
Listening to the track, it’s no surprise that Briggs has composed for screen and video art; her music is bursting with inventive and moving soundscapes. “At Bay” begins with a swelling, oceanic undercurrent of hazy synths, concocting an icy allure reminiscent of Boards of Canada. A graceful crackling and minimalism past the one-minute mark evolves into the sonar-like pitch thereafter, which by the second minute is bolstered by further textural illumination. The various swells of effervescence lend beautifully to the spaciously gripping soundscape.
The track comes via the Late Night Swim EP, taking inspiration from “late night walks through Sydney’s waterways and around regional NSW.” It’s streaming below:
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of June 2023’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
