DEEP SKY DIVERS

Incandescent

anyrobinhood (2004)

review by Bill Binkelman

On their latest recording, Jon Short and David Jones (a.k.a. deep sky divers) display their versatility in navigating from the calm waters of mellow piano-led instrumentals to the blend of synth pop/chill-out that has become the duo's stock in trade on albums such as Natural Power and Highlands and Skylands. Still present, of course, is the sterling production, flawless engineering, and abundance of memorable hooks and flowing melodies. Yet, Incandescent offers some new twists along the way through its ten tracks; these subtle evolutions reveal that Short and Jones are still interested in moving forward and not just repeating themselves. In this way, they remind me of an artist like Kevin Kendle in the way they stay familiar enough to please their long time fans yet "mature" to keep the interest of jaded critics such as yours truly!

Par for the course with DSD (deep sky divers), things start off with one of the best tracks on the CD, that being the wonderful new age pop/chill-out instrumental, "skylander." Opening with floating synth choirs and washes of ambience, a percolating retro-EM texture emerges before yielding to steady trap kit drums and an echoed piano playing a deliciously bouncy refrain while spacy sounds bounce here and there in the soundfield, all wrapped in lush strings. A classic deep sky divers' cut that ranks up with their signature tune, "raging calm," in my opinion. "momentum," the next song, is a mid tempo EM-fusion tune anchored in chugging synth bass beats and more retro keyboard tones, featuring a quavering lead melody that admittedly takes some getting used to (since it sounds a tad unintentional but that is unlikely given this duo's predilection for engineering perfection).

"lost without you" is a mostly solo piano number (with a brushing of strings for texture), a short but sweet and sadly nostalgic piece that rolls along at a slow pace, like a walk through one's memories on a cloudy afternoon. "distant sound of the sea" is a long (eleven minutes) track that opens with gently melodic ambient washes and Gamelan tones before melding into a chill-out vein with subdued brush cymbals, plucked string synths, and haunting chorales. The Gamelan tones are something new to DSD and I liked them a lot, as well as the leisurely way this piece unwound, eventually bringing more solid beats into the picture to give the tune a slight lounge feel, even though the mood is much more somber than lounge music ever is.

Among the remaining pieces, some of my favorites include the title track, a too short (2 1/2 minutes) exploration of overt electronic effects surrounded by a flowing musical soundscape and piano; "parting roads" (another short piece) which features retro new age synth bells in the service of a pensive low-key tune that combines the bells with trap kit rhythms midway through the piece; the high drama of "the boy who was born to be king" (which reminded me of the underrated CD by Philip Riley, A Pattern of Lands) with a strong Irish flavor (courtesy of low whistle) and powerful percussion; and the album's high point, the 10 1/2 minute long "gradually becoming cyclonic" (another one of those slowly developing deep sky divers' songs that is a real pleasure to indulge in). The song folds in a midtempo rhythm and serene chorales before exploding with a dramatic lead synthesizer line that soars and dips with a melody that is both forlorn and powerful. For the final section of the song, the background holds a spoken word weather forecast (hence the song's title) while the foreground sees the redevelopment of the more gentle bell tones and synth washes, with a steady but subdued beat underneath it all.

This is, I believe, the fifth deep sky divers album I have reviewed and I have never found their music to be anything but engaging, accessible, warm and memorable. Whether it's soft and gentle or packed with pop polish and power, Jon Short and David Jones wield their myriad keyboards, synths, and other instruments like master painters would use their colors on a blank canvas. Incandescent shines both brightly and softly, depending on the track, but always the music is illuminating music which is wholly enjoyable. I solidly recommended the album.