Today you get the chance to listen to a really sweet record, in full, a good three days before release. I mean, that’s why you’re here right? Well even if you aren’t, it’s too late to turn away, so might as well tune in, no? So, Nathanael Larochette ring any bells? Maybe if I told you that he alongside Raphael Weinroth-Browne and formerly Evan Runge do all the beautiful acoustic things in Musk Ox, it might jog your memory a little? Perhaps you’re more familiar with The Night Watch where he and a few others focus on a more metal oriented sound.
Well, if you’re still in the dark, now it’s time to make things right and get yourself acquainted with Larochette’s output. I won’t give you the spoiled account of a fully fleshed dissection of Old Growth, Larochette’s latest album. No, it’s not that I am unwilling, mind you, but rather, I ardently desire each and every one of you to embark on this sonic voyage with a pristine canvas — tabula rasa. Let your mind surrender its preconceived notions and expectations, this record beckons you to plunge into its depths from the heart.
Old Growth continues Larochette’s intention to go deeper into the realm of instrumental music, showcasing his organic prowess of the acoustic guitar, as well as his uncanny ability to evoke emotions through intricate melodies and atmospheric arrangements. While, indeed, there’s nothing palpably groundbreaking about Old Growth, at least in a traditional sense, an enigmatic allure lies within alongside an invigorating novelty about it.
The trajectory of the course I embarked on with these tunes as my guide, is one with as many narrative qualities, as well as mysteries. There’s an unshakeable sense that borders on old as much as unfathomable. Mind you, old more like an arcane and ancestral monument, and unfathomable, akin to the gentle embrace of a lovely spring day, rather than anything else.
I would also describe the sound I encountered as one that’s deeply intimate, tender, and subtle, although equally ample and free. It kind of feels like laying effortlessly in the embrace of a billowing cloud, being offered a tour of all-encompassing landscapes which are drenched in awe.
In any event, that’s how it feels like to me and I strongly recommend letting Old Growth take you where it must. Don’t impose on it in any way. Let it help you go where you might not be able to otherwise and you’ll be all the more thankful in the end.
Within a world teeming with ceaseless torrents of information, assaulting you senses from every corner, vying for your undivided attention, find a moment of respite – a breath of fresh air. Bask in the tranquil serenity and exquisite beauty that Old Growth graciously bestows upon you. Allow yourself to simply be, even if only for a short while.
Also, don’t forget to follow Larochette on Bandcamp, or on Facebook!
