Red Sparowes - At the Soundless Dawn

Red Sparowes
At the Soundless Dawn
Neurot Recordings
Grade: A-

This is the start of something possibly epic and beautiful. Red Sparowes are comprised of members of Isis, Neurosis, Halifax Pier and Cignal and this, At the Soundless Dawn, is their debut for all those with a piercing fascination of stunning instrumentals. The seven tracks here comprise over an hour and are drenched with blissful moments that are as soothing and compelling as anything the all-stars Explosions in the Sky offer, but Red Sparowes provide darker and heavier imagery to their compositions. This is done not with chugging distorted guitars or double bass, but with darker tones on guitar effects and very little sunshine moments. Their vast texturing comes easily from the intertwining of four guitar/bass players – all of which have experience creating rich soundscapes. With hardly a drop off across the seven long-winded-titled songs – that compile to form a paragraph – this is clearly the best instrumental record released this year. If you are a fan of Temporary Residence and, specifically, bands like Explosions, then you will drool over At the Soundless Dawn.