Charlie Butler — Haunted Moon
Hailing from Scotland Charlie Butler is a drummer and guitarist. Besides his solo work, he is a member of Cody Noon (alternative rock) and Mothertrucker (instrumental doom/post-rock). Haunted Moon resides in the more experimental side of Butler’s output. Finding deep ambient fused with drones and more.
The emerging and vibrant sound, the sequential progression and the different, even contradicting, atmospheres, are the key aspects upon which Haunted Moon is conceived and materialized. Heavily based on -spectacular- synth work, the album evolves into three pieces, each of them leaning into a different mood- yet they all form a narration that is interconnected. Nothing less than a detailed manifestation of electronic/experimental music, with each piece laid upon a drone foundation functioning as the vehicle for the material to venture forth.
Despite the overall cinematic aesthetic and the rich and voluminous sound, Haunted Moon is minimalistic at its core- been a sonic study in discipline. It creates hallucinating layers of drones and streams of synths, with a sentimental mix of light and darkness, which coexist at the cyclothymic frequency margin. With each piece shifting from high pitch to hammer-like bass. Beyond the uplifting beginning, the album concludes in a very introspect and gloomy way, with a dark vibe obscuring everything.
This latest Butler instalment is a noticeable contribution to the global ambient array, easily sitting along with the likes of Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, Klaus Schulz etc. Carefully produced experimental music, which is both delicate and intense!