An Emerald City - An Emerald City EP
This extraordinary four-track EP by an Auckland band which is long on instrumental elegance and very short on pretention is a diamond, and like a precious gem you can turn it many ways and appreciate different refractions.
These swooning, grand and widescreen instrumentals have something in common with the great US band Explosions in the Sky but they also have a more exotic element through the presence of violin, cello and what sound like discreetly placed sitar and Chinese lute.
The piece sway into each other, have a definite hypnotic and ambient quality, but also thoroughly engage the attention.
Astral, epic, allusive, soundtracks for imaginary movies . .
Say what you will, but don't ignore it.
An Emerald City launch this masterpiece in miniature at the Ambassador, Pt Chevalier in Auckland on Saturday April 19. $20 gets you in the door and a copy of this as well.
Review courtesy of Graham Reid from Elsewhere
