Balmorhea - Constellations (2010)

I first got into Balmorhea a little over two years ago, through an ambient/post-rock-centered compilation album. I immediately fell in love with their simple, lush, piano-centered instrumental music. They have stayed busy since signing to Western Vinyl, releasing at least one album each of the last three years (including a full length and a remixed album last year), and each one is an amazing example of how this band constantly grows and changes, yet still stays true to the sound that sets them apart from the rest of the instrumental scene.

Last year's “All is Wild, All is Silent” featured a branch-off into a lighter, more folk-sounding terrain. “Constellations” is a much darker album; to me, at least, it feels more meditative, less rejoiceful and more subdued. And this isn't a bad thing; far from it. The album winds through each track purposefully and beautifully.

Most of the tracks on “Constellations” features subtle acoustic guitars, unaccompanied piano motifs, and/or light strings to bring whatever mood is trying to be conveyed. One standout track is probably 'Steerage and the Lamp': dramatic arpeggios on the piano and the dark sounds of a cello set a foreboding tone, weaving through each other until the piano seems to clash with itself, in a strange combination of dissonance and melody.

Another standout is the final track on the album, 'Palestrina'. The reverberating sounds of a cello and violin lay a background for beautiful, haunting choir singing. Eventually, the singing is replaced by the simple strumming of a guitar, moving deliberately from one chord to another, before the choir comes briefly back and the song fades out.

For those who got into Balmorhea only through their latest album, “Constellations” may be a slight letdown, as it is much more of an melancholic, meditative piece than the more upbeat sound of “All is Wild...”. However, this doesn't mean if you loved their last album you won't enjoy “Constellations.” I simply suggest preparing yourself for a more ambient journey. And if you have never given Balmorhea a try, there's no time like the present to be carried off on the waves of their sound.