Rhythms of Remembering By Byron Metcalf

 

Rhythms of Remembering

By

Byron Metcalf

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Byron Metcalf is a name that’s been on my musical radar for some 5 years now, ever since the release of Shamanic Dance Trance back in 2016, here Byron gifts us another moment of musical magic, and brings us a selection of contributing artists who create a blissful synchronistic flavour to the album we can now call Rhythms of Remembering, which will be released mid September.

One of my personal favourites is the opening piece, our beloved title track Rhythms of Remembering featuring Frore (Paul Casper). Metcalf is a percussionist of amazing skills and talents, and this offering is a prime example of those craft abilities. A sensitive and scene setting backdrop of synth heaven by Frore and a smooth, fluent and harmonic convergence on drums by Metcalf, creating a perfect starting point for us all.

We move with a sumptuous delicacy to the next offering entitled Realms of Second Thoughts featuring Erik Wøllo. This partnership of synths and percussion works incredibly well, and the artist has indeed given me an idea for a new track. The hovering intensity on this track is powerful, yet not presumptuous, Wøllo’s sensitivity comes to the fore here with such a blissful reverie, and partnered with the heavenly rhythmic percussion of Metcalf, delivers a textured composition for us all to enjoy.

This one I loved for three reasons, firstly the title Back Alleys and Hard Lessons, secondly for the performance, and thirdly because of the inclusion of top flute performer Sherry Finzer.  This is a deep composition, one driven by an almost tantalising percussive beat by the artist, and added to by Finzer’s almost eastern ethic on flute, whilst the floating synth passion from Frore just hovers and grows experientially throughout the offering.

Byron Metcalf once again utilises the delicacy of synth performer Eric Wøllo on this next most splendid track entitled Seasons of Shifting Recall. The delicate EM styled performance adds a layer to the creative nuances of Metcalf’s percussion. One can, through this musical portrayal, sense a journey through the labyrinths of the psychological, the spiritual and the physical, in one, if not the most artistic offering off the release.

Layers of Holding featuring Frore is up next, there is something so compelling about this track that after just around 30 seconds I felt quite emotional. The mixture of percussion and floating synths seemed to bring forth a need to heal from me, perhaps this combination of musical craft upon this piece offers up a panacea to the inevitable release and letting go! Musically speaking it is one of the most charming arrangements I think I have ever heard from Byron Metcalf, and certainly one that truly moved me.

Eric Wøllo returns for the last time on the penultimate piece of the album entitled The Fifth Reflection. His genius throughout this entire album has been well received. This last but one piece has much to like about it, the rhythm is simply delicious, the tempo delightful, and the percussive mastery by Metcalf forms regions of measure and cadence much appreciated by this writer, a vibrant yet chilled offering indeed.

For our last and final parting gift, both Finzer and Frore created a triangle of musical intellect and aptitude, in a blissful partnership with the ever talented Byron Metcalf, and manifested a track that is beautifully serene, but hopeful in its narrative on Another Way Home, a superb ending offering and without doubt one of the calmest tracks to conclude the project with.

Rhythms of Remembering by Byron Metcalf is a timeless construct of seven truly superb instrumental compositions that you never wish to leave. Each of the team of talented musicians bring to the table sublime qualities that instinctively birth something wonderfully quieting, yet utterly compelling, this is a splendid example of an album that will never get old, and must rank in my view as Metcalf’s finest work created so far.