Review: Snow Palms – Intervals

Snow Palms – Intervals (Village Green)

Composer, David Sheppard (State River Widening, Ellis Island Sound, Phelan/Sheppard) originally conceived “Intervals” as a series of pieces for mallet instruments: xylophones, glockenspiels, vibraphones, marimbas, etc. Teaming up with producer/arranger Chris Leary (Ochre) the pieces were expanded to include chamber orchestration, subtle electronics, guitars, woodwinds, harmonium, organ, piano and synthesizer.

With inspiration taken from a variety of sources, including avant-garde studies, children’s music and exotic locations “Intervals” is an evocative and panoramic whole. The movements, natural airiness and haste of tracks such as “Index of Rivers” “Premonition”, “Delta Switching” and “Motion Capture”, with their repetitions and swathed atmospherics mesmerize (and simultaneously recall Sigur Ros and Philip Glass), whilst “Atoll” and “Swimming Figures” have a majestic, oriental styling reminiscent of “Forbidden Colours” era Ryuichi Sakomoto. Natural, spiritual and very beautiful.

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Willsk