Dreaming Northern By Masako

 

Dreaming Northern

By

Masako

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have many decades of musical memories in my current life time; those tones and familiar vibrations comfort me, and create a sanctuary of harmonic peace to reside within, Masako as an artist has been one those aforementioned creators, I have been on a voyage of musical plenitude with her since 2012, it started back then with the self-named album Masako, it continues today with her ninth release named Dreaming Northern, a testament, a musical tribute to all those soothing conditions to be found in the northern lands of her existence.

We all have personal predilections, and these penchants of the northern realms have allowed the artist to draw upon a veritable fountain of artistry, to allow us as the listener to bathe within, from the solo piano narrative that starts this project called Mamabear Dreams, and onwards through the next 12 pieces, the listener will literally find something that they relate to as well.

For me it was track two One by One, laid before us is a gentle keyboard narrative with added synths gifted by Tom Eaton, with a delicious flugelhorn segment added by one of the finest in the business in Jeff Oster, for me this dream like opus allows the listener to drift on the winds of musical time with utter pleasure.

Masako has manifested a whole new oasis of calm on this brand new album that will be adored by listeners, and loved by piano based musical aficionados the globe over. Tracks like the multi instrumental genius of Our Bluebird Day raise the rhythms and the expectations, whilst offerings like But It Is Life manifest a tranquil lake of tone and timbre, and are added to by the magical hands of Vin Downes, a guitarist I haven’t heard from for simply years, the melodic nature of this track, for some reason, reminded me of that classic song by Neil Young, Harvest Moon.

The album itself was brought into our reality at the world famous Imaginary Road Studios, the castle of the king of contemporary instrumental music in a certain Will Ackerman, who performs on composition 5 called Love Beyond, a simply beautiful pastiche of textures and colours, combining the optimistic notes of the guitar, partnered with a symbiotic Oster on flugelhorn, and a rhythmic percussive base created by Jeff Haynes.

The entire album is a veritable musical journey with uplifting narratives like Stairs in the Sky, where one sees violinist Charlie Bisharat make his first appearance on the album, followed by the fluent and reflective vibrations of a true mood filled solo piano oasis called My Old Abbey. Whilst on the next manifestation we find another favourite subject of mine on the creation Shape of the Clouds, where the soft synths of Eaton allow the master painter of piano tones, build one of the loveliest pieces from the release in a truly artistic style.

One of my favourite seasons is autumn, here we find another delicate and gentle song from the artist called October Children, and I found this particular track deeply moving, perhaps it was the harmonic and melodic piano of Masako, but the combination of Eugene Friesen on Cello and the angelic vocalisations of Noah Wilding, juxtaposed a very creative composition indeed.

Deeper in the weave one will find the ambience of tracks like Dancing in the Snow, and onward into the loving arms of the penultimate piece called Between the Two Trees, a more tranquil sanctuary of music you will not find, this is rounded off perfectly with our last, and very ambient composition Agiochook.

Dreaming Northern by Masako is another masterwork in the career of the composer, one that in my view sees a more explorative side of the artist, and some wondrous picture book arrangements that will bring the listener calm and contentment, and also I truly believe this will not only be a massive hit on the charts, but an album that is most certainly award worthy too.