orchestramaxfieldparrish — Crossing of Shadows

'Orchestramaxfieldparrish' is one of the primary projects of the under-recognized Mike Fazio,a New York musician dealing mostly in sophisticated soundscapery.  I am lucky enough to have heard the previous release, the masterful double album "To the Last Man / Index of Dreaming" (technically released as ÆRA, 'presented' by Orchestramaxfieldparrish), as well as his concise 3" CD release under the "A Guide for Reason" name "VII - VIII".

At first glance, the new album "Crossing of Shadows" contains many of the same ingredients as Mike Fazio's other work. This is not at all a bad thing as his formula is a robust one: this is a colorful, melodious ambient music, 'ambient' in the classic sense, and also classically infused, with real, audible notes! The natural timbres of stringed instruments are shrouded in a glowing digital cloak, delicately treated to enhance their reverent qualities, divine overtones extracted and amplified.

This album in particular relies on heavy use of silence.  It has patient elegance, and a hushed, haunting, fragile beauty, like icesicles dripping.  It is slower and more dynamic than his previous works, and each gesture feels more intentional.  There is no excess.

First of six pieces, "Thirst (Revisitation)" is quite the imposing entrance.  First, a hollow howl of wind, soon dramatically joined by a string chord resonated and echoed into vast, unstoppable drone.  At peak moment, an orchestral hit slices through the sound like a knife: eerily, it ceases; a few seconds later, swells anew, now encircled by whispering rushes, rattles..  The track explores many shadows and crevices, but always drone returns to lift us up.

The second track "On Nine Mile Marsh" begins in a kind of slow, crackling pulsation I associate with tape loops, and then disperses into deep emptiness weathered by thick, slow swells of filtered synth and noise.  It's a beautiful and classic sound.  "Lost Star" borrows a few of the strange bubbling, consonant resonances found on the "A Guide for Reason" release, and compliments them with expansive synthesizer textures and rushing reverberation.  Its abrupt ending is food for thought.

Elsewhere "Mystery by Moonlight" and "A Walk Amongst the Raindrops" represent Fazio's romantic yearning.  These are watery soundtracks for solitary pondering and meandering in the Fall and Winter months.  In "Mystery by Moonlight", there is a notably perfect blending of field recordings and synthesizers, and a hazy naturescape becomes perfectly imagineable.  Anyone who has experienced it first hand will also be reminded of the peculiar way crickets can be nearly deafening when found in abundance.  "A Walk Amongst the Raindrops" was instantly my favorite track upon first hearing the album, an intensely emotional soliloquy for rippling synth and the delayed, percussive pinging of droplets.

"Lament" is a duet for a pure, shimmering synth and piano that closes the album is perfect 'lunar ambient' fashion and recalls Coil songs like "Tiny Golden Books", which is never a bad thing.

Overall, Orchestramaxfieldparrish's "Crossing of Shadows" is an entrancing, emotional and unique work of soundscape music, too melodious and pleasant to be referred to as 'avant garde', but far too sophisticated and experimental to lumped in with most of what passes for 'ambient' these days.  I highly recommend Fazio's vibrant and intelligent music to any listener with a little patience, and this is one of the best examples yet of his style.