A powerful solo instrumental piano album from Massachusetts-based artist Dan Becker, Abject impresses in its range of successes — from the brisk intrigue of “Check” to the graceful beauty within “The Wait.” “Music for me is, in many cases, pain reincarnated into beauty,” he says, noting that the release represents a journey through regret, anger, sadness, and other emotions arisen from the embers of tumult.
“Morning Rush” opens the album with gorgeous enticement, as gentle piano wanders through a blissful first minute. “Check” follows with a sense of foreboding, escalating fervently into expressive piano forcefulness at the one-minute turn. “Cataclysm” arrives with decisively eclectic tonal pushes; both intense pounding of keys and twinkling lushness intertwine with masterful cohesion, making for a standout track on an album full of many highlights.
The heartrending “Oblivion” is especially atmospheric, building from quaint piano-set mystique into a clanging momentum past the first minute. A haunting, ghostly immersion takes hold throughout. Abject is a stirring, emotional success of an album from Dan Becker.
Check out the music video for “Check”:
+ stream the album in full:
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“Oblivion” can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Obscure Ambient’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
