A Heliosentric universe
» Published by trym on Dec 10, 2007
Leading
then
from
light
to
shadow
they
will
see
as
one.
Thus states the back of Goldmund’s new album, Two Point Discriminations, out this autumn on Western Vinyl as part of their limited edition Portrait Series. It’s been a little while since we reviewed Helios’ breath-taking Eingya album on Type Records, but rest assured Keith Kenniff has not been resting on his laurels since then. Looking back only a year, you will find three releases bearing Kenniff’s name, one as an mini-album, Ayres, again revisiting Type, yet another release on Type but in the form of a brief 10-minute long 7” under his stripped-down moniker Goldmund, and now just weeks ago the aforementioned Two Point Discriminations. Let us then look at this industrious multi-instrumentalist and his ventures since we last put our spotlight on him.
Back in October 2006, Keith Kenniff released his first release under the Goldmund moniker since his widely acclaimed Corduroy Road album, but this time a mere teaser, yet perfectly delivered, as part of the limited 7” series, T7PE, on Type, entitled The Heart Of High Places. Goldmund is a pseudonym of Kenniff’s under which he may release music that does not fit the Helios profile, as is often custom for many musicians, sometimes also due to contractual formalities that need to be “avoided”. Often, such side-projects yield rather unintelligent or uninspired results, yet Keith Kenniff is an example of quite the contrary. As Goldmund, electronics are put away and the listener is treated to some of the most heartfelt and melancholic compositions, most often based solely on piano, but also at times acoustic guitar. With the simplest choice of instrumentation, Kenniff proceeds to explore the piano to minute detail; you can hear fingers pressing keys, pedals and the hammers as they rebound, and the melodies are also very emotional and lulling, proceeding perhaps where Corduroy Road left us and taking the listener on a sentimental journey down one’s own personal memory lane (sorry the clichée term, but each of the six piano tunes crammed on to this 7” strike a chord in your heart).
Helios is perhaps how most became acquainted with Kenniff’s musical talent, soft-focused, warm and sentimental electronica amply supported with other, lovely instrumentation including piano, acoustic guitars and drums, allowing Helios to win the hearts of many electronica and post-rock listeners. On his latest mini-album, Ayres, Kenniff introduces a new instrument to his already vast repertoire, apparently inspired by his numerous live dates that resulted from his newfound “fame” with Helios. As before, the melodies are absolutely lovely as on Unomia and Eingya in particular, his choice of instrumentation and mastery of these seems to give each element its own voice that renders words and vocals needless. Many have taken a liking to Kenniff’s voice, soft and breathy, compelling and breathtaking, yet personally I feel it regrettedly becomes a disruptive element to the beautiful melodies Kenniff composes, a creative mind and aptitude for simple and considerate drum programming, nearly epic in the build-up of some melodies and with a distinct, electronic sound that many will surely envy him. Despite even a cover version of a David Lynch’s “In Heaven” (from Eraserhead), and the highlight of the album on “The Obeisant Vine”, I cannot help but feel that this album would have been monumental like Eingya if Kenniff had let the songs be carried by the melodies alone.
Kenniff has earlier this year disclosed news that he is currently working on a new Goldmund album for Type already, so it was a very pleasant surprise to suddenly have Two Point Discriminations appear unexpectedly, signed to Western Vinyl and part of their interesting Portrait Series, described by the label as “consisting of a visual portrait in the form of a photo, line drawing, painting along with two or more songs about, inspired by, or from the point of view of the individual in the portrait.”
Again, as with Corduroy Road, Kenniff treats the listener to eleven short compositions, stripped bare to a minimality which finds its way into your heart and captivates. Gone now is the feeling of southern American, marching band, civil-war inspired themes, and instead the focus seems to have shifted to duality – the portrait of two hands, the play of light and shadow, and as the tracklisting declares; the coming together of two entities as one. But I stray from the music, Kenniff’s hands adeptly handle the piano and melodies are both slow and mournful with lingering notes that are allowed room to grow, and other pieces are fast and more immediate, fluctuating and as if pressed onwards, the two themes become like counterparts that together create a holistic theme for the mini-album, because all in all it clocks in at a mere 24 minutes, but as a listener your attention locks in for that duration.
So, a busy year comes to a conclusion for Kenniff, who is already away in studio working on new material, and we can only look on with anticipation, because there’s no questioning this artist’s talent. We hope you all take us up on our suggestion to change your musical view to a Heliosentric one, you will not regret it.