Eloine-Moldy Cushions; Flag Day Records, 2024

 

The photos gracing Eloine's new CD, Moldy Cushions, appear to be close ups of mushrooms or spores of some other form. Were they taken with some very advanced gear that photographer Holly Wilson has access to? Or, are they enlarged bits of data snapped with a mere iPhone or some such other? Either way, they fit really well with the sounds on Bryan Day's solo project and its new physical output (of the digital realm, anyway; we all know that Day makes fascinatingly formed instruments for his own and artistic patrons' use too). The term has been over used, and by Disaster Amnesiac as well, but I just keep coming back to "granular" as a way of assisting in the word visualization that accompanies listening to music that has been submitted for review over here in the Land of the Devil's Breath. Granular spaces are the spaces in which Eloine finds its unique voices. There are not stated melodies as such, although there has been at least one occasion, as I listened to Cushions, in which as very definite melodic form arose from this masterfully done Musique Concrete. There can be no doubt that Day is after sounds that are in variance with traditional notions of melody, but, equally, this writer has no doubt that Bryan would not be averse to that phenomena arising, either. He's just not that kind of guy. He is a very creative guy, and I've seen him thinking really intensely, even when it's just, you know, bumping into him and Holly at a local thrift shop. True story! But back to Cushions. Eloine has an arsenal of sounds, ones which have been crafted both by Bryan Day and some of his co-creators (International Division), and from them the listener can hear imaginary cities of mammoth proportions being constructed. Did Day see a lot of this in India and Brazil? These are both BRICS nations, so presumably, there is a lot of "development" happening within them, what with being allied to China and Russia and all. Eloine makes visualization so accessible from organized sound! Put your phone down while you listen. Grab a chair by a window and watch the world's drift match those of Eloine. You'll hear theremin sounds, stately electronic sounds, percussive sounds, post-production effects, cybernetic atmospheres and so forth. Formal structures are indeed presented within Moldy Cushions. They are ones very specifically composed by Bryan Day under the moniker of Eloine. No two mycological specimens can ever be the same ergo why should so thoughtful a person as Bryan make the same music as everyone else? Can you believe that that's still an issue? Sadly, it is. For an antidote to group think, proceed immediately from reading this post to Flag Day Records and show your support. Years from now, you can count yourself amongst the supporters of a genuine American artist as he was making deep strides within his body of work.