Rob Lawson is a multi-instrumentalist from the UK based in Spain. He has created over 150 CD-rs in the last 10 years or so. He took a break to do poetry and other projects but is back making music again. This is his 2nd CD of music created with his own homemade dulcimers. The first one was featured shorter pieces but this new one is one long 50min improvisation (broken into 4) on dulcimer but using some effects pedals as well. It starts with a repeated theme until about 3:30 then it shifts to a lower volume and he starts to use some some effects and the intensity of the plucking of the starts to increase and he returns to a repeated theme. The track sort of comes to a stop at 9:05 and continues with a sort of almost Japanese eastern tuning or sound. This track is over 30mins and returns to more clean sound and then some effects here and there. Track 2 has this really cool effected sound, sort of wobbly and time stretching…. a bit trippy. Track 3 has fewer effects and sounds like there could be a 2nd layer recorded. There is also a light tapped drum like rhythm, perhaps he makes with his feet or hand. Track 4 features a drum machine, bass and guitar and is something totally different. The same repeated rhythm over and over for 2mins and then it sort of stops and he starts to play dulcimer again. That was a surprise! These last 3 tracks are not on the band camp page for this release. I am not sure why.
The Nameless Wave is a long track, nearly 17mins and not a lot of effects. You can tell Rob is improving this playing of these homemade dulcimers. Braton Jig (with Slips) is a short 3 min track. Quite focused and some very nice playing and melodies. Maui Cave has some simple drums sounds like he is playing with something metal on the strings. The last track is called Bells and is, as you might expect a track with the sounds of bells. Not sure how this one was made. Nice.
I don’t know if everyone is into listening to this sort of stuff but it is pretty interesting to hear at least once!! If you are wondering about the title, Rob said it came to him in a dream. Rob has started to put up his new but only one of his older musical output on bandcamp. Check it out..
