More Now Everywhere by Andy Mitran

 

More Now Everywhere

By

Andy Mitran

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have been in rapture for years with the releases of Al Jewer and Andy Mitran, my first taking me all the way back to 2003 and the album Two Trees. They produce some of the finest, what could be, and sometimes more than often is alluded to is, as some of the best contemporary instrumental music on the planet in this modern age of ours, but when they go solo that effect doesn’t change one iota, as we are about to dive in deep with Andy Mitran and his solo album More Now Everywhere.

The opening piece of this 11 track release is entitled Shape Shifting, here you will find some of the most dreamy keyboard working you could ever wish for on this oasis of a composition, however one of my personal favourites would be the following offering called Ocean and Sky, with a fretless base and electric piano, magic is made here in a track that reminds of their joint release in 2018 called Transmigration.

That floating feeling stays with us on another favourite of mine called Atmosphere, the synth and guitar combo here, produced for me another incredibly palpable track, one that would stay in your mind for the whole day and take up residence, and in parts reminded me slightly of some of the more ambient aspects of the UK’s synth supremo Kevin Kendle at times.

With tracks like the effervescent Breakers, we have a charming driving offering, adding in a rhythmic drum, whilst on offerings like Emergence, room and space can be easily found for the listener, the delicacy of the harp here added an extra layer of calm, while the brass contained within offered a balanced composition one slowly becoming aware, in the most patient track off the release.

To See is nestled in the middle part of the album and has a truly ambient texture to its compositional structure, whilst Isolata adds a little extra rhythm and guitar into the mix with consummate ease, the synth work here is also clever and crafted well to fit with the overall theme. 

The next track is a far differently styled piece, and I’ll think I will feature it in my smooth Jazz show next month, it is called Memory Road, this is magical, a walking bass starts us off and then a smooth jazz fused piece drives us home with delicate pertinent synths, and a stunning guitar performance from Kraig McCreary, made this piece for me one of the stand out tracks from the album.

In the deeper waters of the release we come across a globally infused creation called More Than Once and this thrilling arrangement of instrumentation manifests something quite enthralling, and utilising a frame drum, talking drum, udu, guiro, Chilean bombo, marimba, synths, guitars, strings, reeds, brass, and acoustic bass, now this is what you call the ultimate multi-instrumentational offering.

The penultimate narrative is entitled The Woven Path, this is where everything becomes interconnected, it is with ease the most spiritual piece of the release, with the ethereal sounds and soothing keyboard, which sets us up perfectly for the final chapter of the album entitled The Last One, how appropriate indeed, this clever and relaxing instrumental composition narrated by a commanding piano concludes things perfectly for the listener.

This is a special album, one can tell with ease that this entire collection of superior instrumental music comes from the heart centre of the musician, and he has to be applauded for that, he also cites one of our personal heroes in his final comments when he says, and I quote, “Lastly, I want to thank Eckhart Tolle for the valuable lessons about the power of the moment and creating a significant change for the better in my life”. I can only add to that saying More Now Everywhere by Andy Mitran is a guaranteed hit, and Andy you are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are!