David Terry - Always (2019)

David Terry has been churning out long-form and immersive flights of fantasy for nearly 20 years. He first came to our attention in the early 00's, as part of Trollmann Av Ildtopperg, and then again later, as a member of Bong. Starting in 2011, David released some works under the name Peasants and 2018 saw the release of an incredible album called Sorrow, under his given name. Subsequent releases and performances have found David creating gorgeous, lengthy pieces of woeful accordion and voice. On one hand, the arc of his creative life has been filled with consistency, as he persistently made very long and contemplative works using modern techniques to evoke timeless and arcane subjects from the past. On the other hand there is a distinct progression from the obscure obsessions of his early projects to the seasoned rumination of his recent compositions. This progression is also evident in his chosen instrumentation, where heavily effected guitars and otherworldly synth sounds have been replaced by raw, acoustic accordion and voice.This album is a unique look at the liminal space between his donning the cloaks of fantasy and illusion, to his bare naked exposition of what can be drawn from a solitary man and his instrument. The first track is a mammoth 45 minute piece that recalls the monastic synthcraft of his previous incarnation as Peasants. The opposite side of the tape offers two accordion works of very different sound qualities and moods, the first sounding skeletal and weary where the second one is lush and poignant. David Terry, reminiscent of other composers such as Arvo Part or Charlemagne Palestine, uses sincere and measured focus to wring out a wide range of revelation from every nuance of his minimalist performance.