Dan Arborise
Of Tide And Trial

"Of Tide & Trail" is a strange album. You listen to it and there is no particular piece that strikes you. You listen to it again, and the effect is the same. Despite this, you listen to it again. But Nothing. However. You know. Let's give it another listen. Come on.

By the tenth listen, something starts not to add up. From the entire album, only the beautiful Cries remains impressed on you. But you still want to listen to it. Again. And again. It's not a normal thing.

I've thought about it. The secret seems to be the internal consistency of the album. Its balance. Its perfect construction. A single melodic flow that unfolds across the individual tracks. Not highlighting any of them but, at the same time, seducing your ear. Minute. After. Minute.

The melodies enchant you, but they don't let themselves be captured. And Dan's voice? Warm. Almost a whisper. Melancholic. Sometimes you seem to hear the spirit of Nick Drake hovering over the delicate sounds of the album (Listen to “Days even years” and then tell me).

Folk Music. The purest, most crystalline. Voice and Guitar. Delicate Fingerpicking. Sometimes the pieces get lost in beautiful digressions at the edge of ambient. The guitar is accompanied by slight electronic bases. Yet without slipping into virtuosity or prolixity. A splendid example of this perfect balance is “feet in the sea, head in the stars”. Great piece this one too.

"Of Tide & Trail" is a strange album. Strange like Dan Arborise. Strange like the little attention it has received. More than strange, a true shame.

A true shame that it has been talked about so little.

Must Listen.