Aphelion By April Stace

 

Aphelion

By

April Stace

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is indeed something magical about the harp, over the years I have heard many proponents of it, many masters of the trade such as Christina Tourin, France Ellul, and Laurence Furr.  The aforementioned artists are all excellent, but very different in their structures and musical formations. Regarding April Stace and her latest release Aphelion, I personally regard it as one of the warmest harp albums I have heard for decades.

The opening piece is sublime and called Intuition; there is a powerful reflective nuance in this composition that leads us onwards whilst looking over our shoulders. The album is a 14 track wonder work and contains beautifully fluent creations like the chilling and memory filled Holding onto Winter, or the abundant Train Song, which brings a different perspective, its repeating patterns and shifting momentum conjuring images of landscapes passing by, thoughts drifting, and the curious freedom of being temporarily removed from everyday life.

Writing Again has a soothing melodious structure that will have you humming the tune all day long as it stays in your mind like a beautiful cloud on an October afternoon, whilst Little Steps continues this theme of tentative progress, its modest beginnings gradually finding greater confidence, whilst the piece Rice’s Hill seems to have a lighter energy flowing through its veins, almost playful, allowing its changing registers to suggest a dreamlike journey through an ever-evolving environment.

As we reach the half way marker of the release we come across a piece called Garden, a subject of many a musical delight and rewards, here Stace manifests something with depth, subtle changes of colour, rhythm and emphasis can be found in this mid-way marker of a track.

On Ojito and slower more ponderous tempo is found, a hypnotic composition built around a spare, repetitive motif. There is something wonderfully elusive about it, as though the music is inviting us to look more closely at something that remains just beyond our immediate understanding.

With the colourful offering of Darkness a Gift, a more melodious offering of great depth and meaning plays an interesting symbiotic juxtaposition with the very next offering called Souvenir, once more something that has memories within the weave of the track, but one that always remains in the heart of the listener.

Wild Patience is like spring has come early; its effervescent energy is palpable its livelier, almost dance-like character suggests that healing and renewal need not always be solemn affairs, whilst compositions like Rainbow gift us something that builds with a measured performance from the artist, this is yet the most colourful by far, and could easily be a single and if one were to be chosen, I would point to this colourful slow narrative as my selection.

Our penultimate offering is entitled Divertissement, adds another shade to the album’s varied musical palette, a fast paced offering that is extremely well played by Stace in an impressive performance.

Then the final conclusion called Aphelion Trisagion, its spiritual undertones and unhurried unfolding make for a fitting conclusion to an album concerned with distance, transformation and the search for meaning. It does not so much close the door as leave it quietly ajar, where one can peak into the next realm of wonder without disturbing the ambience this great album has already created.

What makes Aphelion so compelling is the sense that these compositions belong to a larger personal journey, yet never demand that the listener understand the circumstances behind them. For me this has to be one of the most enjoyable solo instrumental albums I have listened to this year, and its warm thoughtful contents should reside within the listener’s hearts forever.