The debut album from Stephen Spencer, Dawnings enthralls in its warming assortments of hypnotic guitars, wordless vocal lushness, and riveting atmospheric constructions — bolstered by touches of found sounds, synths, and piano. A Canadian multi-instrumentalist and composer based in NYC, Spencer fully undertook the album’s creative process in September, following the completion of a PhD dissertation. This shift to the musical realm is described by Spencer as “a return to a joyful and uninhibited form of expression.”
Captivating tonal variety is evident quickly on the album; the first several tracks span beautifully from gorgeous tranquility to ardent distortion-laden intrigue. The latter is apparent on the dynamic “Pine,” a gorgeous production that develops seamlessly from calming acoustics and wordless vocal caressing. An arrival into frantic electric guitar compels, as does the subsequent piano elegance. “Glint” achieves a similar power, swelling from serenely textured piano and guitar strums into a second-half fuzziness. Dawnings consistently engrosses with its eclectic tonal prowess, maintaining enjoyable cohesion within it all.
The 20 tracks provide an introspective, meditative listening experience — with plenty of highlights. Each track doesn’t waste a moment, all under two minutes in length, though making an impactful impression nonetheless. “Bird” is amongst those standouts, infusing chilling vocal layers within frolicking acoustics, while “Rust” conveys a more melancholic, nocturnal soundscape in its creaky electric guitars and crackling undercurrent. The crackling effect continues on “Burn,” achieving an ambient spell with its synth-forward adornments. “Shine” concludes the release with a folk-friendly meditation, easing in comforting vocals alongside solemn guitars. Dawnings is a thoroughly inviting success of an album from Stephen Spencer.
Stream Dawnings via various streaming platforms via this link, and below via Bandcamp:
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
