(2021) Robin Guthrie - Riviera (EP)
Review:
Following the October release of the EP Mockingbird Love and the November release of the album Pearldiving comes another unique release by Robin Guthrie, the 4 track EP, Riviera, a collection of tunes completed earlier this year. Riviera stands on its own, as a release apart from the album, featuring Guthrie’s ever present signature sound and atmosphere, displaying a refinement and maturity only found in the work of an artist working largely unfettered from the constraints of the music industry. His approach to music is perhaps more akin to that of a painter or a photographer. The adept use of light and shade, melody and counter melody, the carefully and precisely arranged instrumentation, musical textures and colorings gives his music a depth and level of detail which marks a master craftsman. He explains, “I made this collection earlier this year while taking a break from recording Pearldiving. I found a common thread among several unfinished tunes, that curiously, they had all been written on the southern shore of some landmass or other in the northern hemisphere. I was pleasantly surprised when they all fell into place together and retained this atmosphere in my head.” 40 years on from founding Cocteau Twins, Robin Guthrie has certainly been its most prolific member, offering a steady and stellar stream of material over the years. His film scores include Gregg Araki’s ‘Mysterious Skin’ and ‘White Bird in a Blizzard’, co-written with longtime collaborator Harold Budd.
Track Listing:
1.Starfish Prime 04:26
2.815 02:25
3.Revue 03:46
4.The Empress 05:46
Media Report:
Genre: ambient, post-rock
Country: Scotland
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits