While allowing myself to be soul-seduced into the majestic, meditative exotica of Jim Gelcer and David Vito Gregoli’s five-and-a-half minute latest dream-catching opus “Flow,” it suddenly dawned on me why these two versatile veteran artists, multi-instrumentalists and composers have now released not just one, two or a few but a whopping seven lead singles from their upcoming dual album Quiet Expanse.
While the sonically intricate, melodically and rhythmically provocative individual pieces each offer their own musical inspiration, the thematic titles G&G give them are equally important. All of them are abilities and traits we need to spiritually and emotional survive and become better, more evolved and enlightened people surviving a collectively dark time in American, and really all human, history. Starting with “Forgiveness,” their pieces inspire our need for “Resilience” and “Compassion,” stress the importance of personal “Authenticity” and touch on the art of “Letting Go” of stress and our darker impulses.
The sixth lead single, a gorgeous hand pan driven rendition of Satie’s “Gymnopédie No. 1,” left it up to us listeners to interpret how the theme would continue – and we have our answer now. Sometimes, life can get so overwhelming that we simply need to stop, take a deep breath and let life “Flow” while allowing peace and love to “Flow” through us and help us reach our highest potential.
From its haunting, mystical opening seconds, “Flow” pretty much creates a fresh new age category of its own: exotic ambient. After a spacey, immersive 85 second intro featuring a beautifully haunting, seductive flute-hand pan duality, Gelcer and Gregoli get into the groove, with an emotive, increasingly intense flute melody soaring over the grounding of Gelcer’s soulful, slow burning, earthy hand drum energy.
The contrast between Gregoli’s ethereal, celestial minded flutes and Gelcer’s organic rhythms offers a metaphoric view of our lives on earth – grounded by gravity and our flawed humanity while always aspiring towards a higher minded, often unreachable perfect divinity. As the tune progresses, the rhythms intensify a bit and Gregoli introduces a tender swirl of melodic/hypnotic keyboard elegance and subtle bass to complement the ongoing flute magnificence.
While waiting eagerly for the drop of Quiet Expanse, listeners who have a streaming service should treat themselves to a playlist of the seven singles Gelcer (a drummer in the realms of jazz and Indian kirtan music) and Gregoli (renowned as a sound painter) have dropped thus far. Each individual piece has its own merits, but its full sonic and spiritual power is best experienced as a seamless “Flow” from one theme/chapter/vibe to the next.
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