Mercury Falls is a quartet lead by guitarist Ryan Francesconi and baritone saxophonist Patrick Cress. The group utilizes anorganic combination of ambient beats and textures with the free form influences of jazz on their debut effort titled Quadrangle.
The groups’ approach to melody is an effort to forge a connection between acoustic instrumentals and ambient electronic sounds. This is particularly emphasized on tracks like “Years Without Speech” and “Spring Pools” which both create atmospheric landscapes filled with melancholy sounds through the use of drum beats and bass elements.
Quadrangle builds on the singular sounds created from the acoustic guitar and baritone saxophone like on the shrouded calm that exists on “Quad Idea” and the aching “Insurance Rep” that both linger in the listener’s ears. On another stance, songs like “Speak Without Ears” bring in livelier guitar sounds and a stronger, more rhythmic percussion influence.
One of the most interesting tracks on Quadrangle is “Solar Plexus” which brings in the rustling of what sounds like cicadas singing in the summer night. This element, adds to the originality of the track and such diverse elements should have been used as part of the base for several other tracks on the record.
The production and instrumental prowess on the album is well addressed and helps drive it. However some misplaced musical elements bring Quadrangle into mundane territory. At times, the acoustic guitar elements sound plain and boring rather than functioning as building blocks for more innovative sounds. Overall, the album has a cohesive narrative, but seems to repeat itself a little too much to differentiate itself entirely from other fusion groups.
Stand Out Tracks: Years Without Speech, Spring Pools Lullaby for Beane
Rukshan Thenuwara – MuzikReviews.com Staff
July 26, 2010
