Ethan Rose - Ceiling Songs [Locust Music - 2006]At its best moments Ceiling songs evokes a beautiful heady melodic wonder. Leaving the listener literal press at the ceiling of ones listing space, wanting to escape into the deep blue wonder and drift into cloud patterns. Rose uses wonderful audio accidents, piano rolls and broken music boxes ,to create rippling soundscapes, that achieve some wonderfully weightless ambient stretches. Taking in three tracks in all, two nearing the 20 minute mark, one just over five minutes. Though there are truly some breath taking moments on offer here, it’s sadly very random, which I guess is some what of the point. But it can feel often like you’re treading through audio water to get to the good stuff. I just feel it all would have worked better, if some editing and more thought had been given to the length of the tracks and exactly where they were going. All in all a rewarding trip into melodic ambient tone drift. That just needed to be a little more focused and disciplined in it's sound painting, and I’m sure Mr Rose could give birth to a seriously beautiful and fulfilling album. Roger Batty
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