Gagarin – Komorebi

Geo

Graham Dowdall aka Gagarin has had a tough time of things in the last few years, so to find a new suite of his genreless and uplifting electronica is a real treat.

Having set up a new studio in Margate, the freedom and sounds of life by the sea have subtly insinuated themselves in to the pieces here which, along with the album celebrating the sixty-third anniversary of Yuri Gagarin being the first human in space, lends it a strange dichotomy between the weightlessness and movement of being in orbit and the freshness and positivity of time spent idling on the seafront.

There is a real dreaminess to the synth sounds on opener “Margate Illuminati” and the sounds of the sea give a hushed and strangely sepulchral yet futuristic feel. There is a thoughtfulness that applies even when the beats arrive and they dance around the lighter-than-air drones to provide a serenity that continues throughout.

Found sounds and field recordings that came from the kids at Linden Bridge School are surreptitious in the background of the tracks and the beatless drifting and repetitive patterns of “Saëta” are very different to the original version. It is great to hear him revisiting this track, considering his long history a drummer for Nico, and there is something benign and far-reaching to it. Beats, when they do arrive, are gentle and the sense of speed yet personal stasis is impressive.

The interweaving of synth lines, drones and beats works differently on each track, some falling out of phase while others are a little more precise. The sense of great distance is allied with an indisputable humanity, albeit often from a place of pleasant solitude. The variety of sounds and the introduction of birdsong are carried with gentle pace and the overall sensation is of warmth, cocooned away from harm. Some of it would make great soundtrack music, its positivity and hope embracing the listener.

The production is lovely with the clarity of some of the sounds causing them to leap from the speakers, while some are blurred and hesitant. The soft techno backing of “Hazmat” lends a certain impetus with a sense of wonder in the sharpness of some of the sounds, and although there is good variety between the tracks, the sense of continuity gives it the feeling of a suite of songs. Some of the tracks may have more momentum than others, but the transition is seamless and they all work well together.

The feeling of an autumnal coastal stroll is inescapable on “Wonderdusk “‘ with the birdsong and lovely romantic synth melody sitting at odds with the distorted electronic shuffle of “Codeswitch”. Graham isn’t afraid to mix things up a bit, but without upsetting the general feel of the album. Closer “Stanmer” is the perfect sunset piece, a gauzy veil drawn delicately over what has come before and leaving a sensation of real calm.

It is great to have Graham back after 2023’s difficulties and after forty-five years making music, he still has the ability to delight and comfort the listener in equal measure.

-Mr Olivetti-