Rothko and Steve Parry – Howl

Trace

For the last twenty-five years or so, Mark Beazley‘s Rothko has been an ever-evolving beast with a lot of this progression due to a number of carefully considered collaborations. This latest album involves old friend, Welsh composer Steve Parry. Steve’s youthful memories of his mother playing the church organ invests a sepulchral air top his keyboard ruminations, but tempered with a metallic abstraction.

Initial recordings were made by Steve in a secluded church and then passed to Mark for further embellishment, and over the course of two long-form pieces, Howl unfurls in a slow, stately yet compelling manner. The flowing sway of organ drone opens the first half and the gentle scatter of metal introduces Steve’s approach. It intertwines with Mark’s slow, solitary bass and subtle guitar; the background drone being highlighted by the pregnant, portentous notes and harmonics.

The sense of foreboding is palpable and the air thick with sound as a dark, heavy atmosphere is evoked. In places, brief guitar scorches the ground; but things are constantly evolving, the air clearing before a new wave arrives, rumbling like a storm stuck at sea. There are points where Steve’s metal interludes add a greater sense of abstraction, while the reverbed bass echoes into the darkened corners. The atmosphere is unsettled; but when a fragile bass melody appears, shining in the gloom, things take another turn.

The second half does feel lighter, chimes and drone introducing a change of approach, although the ascending organ chords and awkward clatter are still questioning. There is a touch more lightness in the movement of the bass and a little more propulsion, but the array of fractured sounds is still broad and with moments of almost gentle reflection. There is a section where the guitar clears the air and the bass draws graceful arc through the lightening gloom that, with its string-like backing, feels like an opening of windows, throwing open the doors and allowing the atmosphere to dissipate; a gradual dawning that draws things to an appropriate close.

Howl is a fantastically equal collaboration, the very different sounds and approaches of the two artists perfectly complementing one another and perhaps never more so that at the finale. It is a work of splendour that adds something special to both artists’ oeuvres and a worthy companion as we descend into autumn.

-Mr Olivetti-