Yorkshire Modular Society & Peter Digby — Beneath the Hanging Sky

Much like the yellow sun on the hills of the album cover, Beneath the Hanging Sky rises and presents itself slowly and deliberately, unfolding its arms and giving gifts of sound like fruit from the trees. Years of samples given new life, like seeds that were just waiting for their time to sprout. The four pieces work together to compose a collective day, so to speak, much like the sun's journey, as the cover may hint at. This is all subjective, mind you, but is how the album spoke to me. "Beneath the Hanging Sky" starts the opus off in the morning position, shimmering as it rises, bolstered by flutes and handpans (?), open and inviting. Its softness is as welcoming as its breadth, its arms widening as the piece moves forward. All the pieces here are unhurried, but "Beneath" feels the most relaxed, allowing the listener to enjoy it as they please, sipping their coffee and taking in the day. "Glass Lung" moves us into the afternoon with the sun overhead, its strength more apparent than the morning, the thicker tones move like snakes through the water, their increased presence demanding one's attention. Like the title suggests, there is a glassy sound to this piece, frequencies resonating together powerfully but delicately. Although very bright, there is an underlying darkness, the lower tones in the mix signalling that although at the zenith, it will soon be heading out of sight. "Echo for the Unseen" is the evening piece, that bit of the day when the sun is down, but there's still some residual light on the horizon. The shortest piece on the album, this one is a time for reflection about what has passed before and how it will feed what's to come. The resonance here matches the echo of the title, with each bit of amplitude reinforcing the drone like a voice speaking back. Where coffee was the match with "Beneath," "Echo" feels like it would couple with a strong cocktail, or something to help move the mind from the body to experience the external world more fully. Like all days, the end must arrive, and the listener is treated to "Spiral of Breath," a very earthy, chthonic piece that is darker and more meditative. The droning sounds almost like flattened didgeridoo, it's synthetic construction a nice contrast to the very natural, earthy vibe that the work gives off. Slowly looping and moving, "Spiral" can be seen as moving in such a pattern, bringing the listener around and around, all while moving inward toward the self. And once there, it is finished, and time to start again.

 

Beneath the Hanging Sky is a monster of a release, but thanks to its construction, it's very accessible, and despite the length, it begs to be replayed after the last drone fades. Although it may not tell the same tale to others, the journey that it takes the listener on is engaging and enjoyable, rich and resonant. The collaboration of the two artists may not follow a common path, but that only helps to make Beneath the Hanging Sky all the more beautiful. Meeting through immersion, the two have put out something for others to immerse themselves in, and by doing so, gain a connection to the artists through vibration, just as they had done in Todmorden. For more