Chequerboard: The Unfolding

Dublin experimental musician John Lambert is a man with a unique artistic voice. His creations are, in the main, dreamlike, pastoral meditations. They create the kind of cinematic ambience found on Eno’s early solo albums. His patest album is, I think, his best yet..
With contributions from cellists Kate Ellis (Crash Ensemble) Kevin Murphy (Seti the First) and vocalist Eileen Carpio (Sending Letters To the Sea), The Unfolding boasts a cohesive, well-ordered collection of pieces, linked thematically in terms of the titles. Most of the pieces here are grounded in acoustic stringed instruments with clearly defined patterns. Dense textures and gradually enveloping washes of strings underpin epic opener ‘Dunes’ and ‘Today Is Beautiful, We Have Things To Do’, each drawing the listener into an almost trance-like state. Elsewhere, ‘Kestrel Rising’ should appeal to fans of Tubular Bells, while ‘Sorrow Bird’ isn’t a million miles away from some of the textures Mark Knopfler has utilized in the past on Dire Straits albums such as Brothers in Arms.
The least “experimental”, most conventional sounding piece, ‘Like A Bell To A Southerly Wind’, has a Flamenco flavour (although the sound of a distant child’s voice adds an eerie and unsettling dimension). Overall, it’s intriguing and enjoyable stuff.

Keytrack: 'Today Is Beautiful, We Have Things To Do'