You can do a lot with little. Jason Calhoun makes stunningly precise music on his new one, revelations of divine love. And the tunes, though simple, are affecting.
The whirring "too shy" churns modestly, while the New Wave bleeps of "tolstoy tatsoi" give that piece a playfulness that's winning. Elsewhere, "rare goodness" is elegantly imprecise, a piano/synth melody accented by other noises/keys. It's discordant but not overly so. The throwback "sextet" is full of the kind of anachronistic synth sounds we now associate with the 1970's and its vision of the future. However, on the longer "wake up ava" Calhoun finally seems to be making something that is genuinely transporting.
Named after a book by Julian of Norwich, revelations of divine love is intimate though not obviously spiritual. But it sort of can be approached that way. Jason Calhoun favors an approach here that is similar to that of Lia Kohl, where a light touch conveys a lot, as does an awareness that less is sometimes more. This is a short record, but it's one that's worth an attentive listen.
Jason Calhoun's revelations of divine love is out now. Details below via Bandcamp.
[Photo: Bandcamp]