Most of the original pieces multi-instrumentalists and producers Jim Gelcer and David Vito Gregoli has composed, produced and released as lead singles for their upcoming Quiet Expanse project have single word titles reflecting spiritual virtues and keys to a healthier existence – “Flow,” “Forgiveness,” “Resilience,” “Compassion” and “Authenticity.” The sole double word title “Letting Go” is another soul-cleansing concept.
Yet sspecially in anxious times like these, none of those titles, transcendent tunes though they are, would quite get us through the darkness of life’s challenges without rays of “Hope” that we could cling to along the way. This is where the duo’s ninth lead single rises to the occasion – and not only metaphorically. The four-and-a half=minute piece much more than a staid piece of grand new age synth ambience with elements of exotic instrumentation.
It rolls mightily, like a masterful journey of the heart and soul, a sweeping symphony whose emotions rise mightily from the tune’s seductive ambient beginnings into a burst of fanciful yet intricate textures. Their “Hope” is the perfect instrumental anthem for our time, opening with a bit of caution before becoming a bold statement of optimism and perseverance.
One of the most unique sonic threads throughout is Gelcer’s intoxicating vibraphone sounds, which chime beautifully; normally the instrument is used in jazz settings (one of Gelcer’s specialties), but it becomes almost mystical in this rarefied expansive space. He also plays bass drum and synth, while Gregoli adds haunting cello and the brave exotica of virtual santoor, a trapezoid shaped hammered dulcimer and a variation of the Iranian santur. The way these melodic elements interact lead to a full heart and hope to carry on even in the most difficult times.
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