This fan-funded release from Ronnie Martin is the latest installment from the Joy Electric front man. What a great addition to a pretty remarkable body of work that has spanned almost 20 years and seen a full length DVD release as well as 27 full studio albums. That is a huge collection of work. The remarkable thing about Joy Electric is that they/he has stayed pretty true to form in spite of the ever shifting change of public demand and attention. How many other bands record completely on analog synthesizers and stay true to vision? I don’t know of any…that being said, let’s talk about the record.
This was a Kickstarter project, and it was pretty amazing to see Martin hit, and then escalate past, the mark in terms of fundraising goals. Joy Electric really delivers here… this might be my favorite release from them. There is something very seasoned in the sounds on this release. The record sounds very full and intentional; there isn’t so much stuff going on that you worry about slipping into seizures and falling out. There is something very relaxing and whimsical about Dwarf Mountain Alphabet. Martin takes the listener on a journey through sound and imagination. My favorite track so far has to be “Further Into Light,” which has a soundscape of really amazing and unique sounds. The closing track “Notes From a Chapter” is a perfect closer. There’s an echo of loss and emptiness here at the end, but it reminds me to live in the moment and appreciate where I am in the present. I think the minimal sounds on this track, punctuated by the fullness of Martin’s delivery, really accentuate the depth of emotion that encompasses this entire album.
There are ten tracks of substance here that are a remarkable addition to the ongoing, spaced out, dramatic and wide-eyed world of Joy Electric.
[2012 Independent | Purchase: joyelectric.com]
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