Setting-Shone a Rainbow Light On; Paradise of Bachelors Records, 2023

 

A month or so back within Disaster Amnesiac's timeline, I had the astonishing experience of hearing Setting on WFMU. Yes, the astonishment was palpable. Hearing this group's advanced form Electro-Acoustic Drone on that day was for this listener akin to digging up a beautiful crystal out in nature, or perhaps to paraphrase from Shone a Rainbow Light On, seeing an unexpected rainbow emerging from the ether. This trio, made up of Nathan Bowles, Jaime Fenelly, and Joe Westerlund have concocted a document of such regal beauty and mystery and it's blowing my mind with each listen. These guys go deep over the record's four tracks, their instrumental blends stunning, striking, and moving throughout the duration. Obviously, Setting are group that listen to each other as they play, that honor the vibe of their current moment, and that stay aware of the sonic spaces that they find themselves within. The proof is all over Shone a Rainbow Light On. It's within the entrancing drone figures and the non bullying percussion and the enticing stringed sounds. It's within the mind of the attentive listener as these sounds caress the brain. It's within the way that Setting quite clearly produce music that is neither overbearing nor pretentious, but simply emerging from some higher place, attainable to those that remain tapped in to their true creative process. Shone a Rainbow Light On is simultaneously epic and humble. Many years ago, Byron Coley wrote about what he called "the Spirit Wind" while describing a William Hooker album. Disaster Amnesiac would like to posit that Setting were enveloped within this selfsame wind during the production of this album. This stuff is High. A friend of mine mentioned that Setting is touring out to the West Coast soon. Guys, please come to Tucson. I feel like the Sonoran Desert would be a perfect setting for Setting. Think about it.