Luke Howard’s new album Two Places is an incredible journey via both classical and electronic music structures with a sound that is rich and complex built upon its intertwining instrumentation.
A session performer and composer for film and television, Howard has collaborated with numerous high-profile musicians such as Ben Frost and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, garnering a great deal of critical acclaim for his collaborations and now for his solo work.
On Two Places, Howard continues to experiment with the melding of both classical and electronic music, building upon his previous release Sun, Cloud. The title track “Two Places” is a standout with a solo piano laying a foundation over which shimmering, sweeping synth and string sounds swirl, creating a crescendo of noise which comes to a head before suddenly slipping away.
Another personal favourite is “Holtsgata” which this time opens with a simple echoing guitar taking the lead. Sombre strings lurk behind with a haunting, earthy quality to them. While it never builds in quite the same way as the title track, it reveals a sense of serenity which perfectly captures Howard’s intellectual music at its finest.
Two Places is out 22nd April 2016 via Lukktone.
