Ryan Martin - Wandercease (2020)

Wandercease is Martin’s most musically adventurous and emotionally authentic record, blending masterful melodic instincts with giant musical hooks and a vibrant, multi-hued sonic palette. Wandercease ranges from deep introspection to radiant joy. Confidence and curiosity combine to create an expansive and cohesive sense of mood and place. Producer Kenny Siegal (Langhorne Slim, Joseph Arthur, Chuck Prophet) recorded all the sessions at his Old Soul Studios in Catskill, NY. Adding to the alchemy, the tracks were mixed with the deft and painterly touch of Paul Q. Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead, Hole).

The album’s first single, Coma Kiss, with its infectious vocal hook and irresistibly buoyant groove, set against Moog and piano interplay, washes over the listener with the feel of an instant classic. Beneath the charm lie darker sentiments about a failed relationship — but that lovely dissonance between song’s feel and the story Martin tells is part of the magic.

One key musical presence is singer-songwriter and classically-trained harpist Mikaela Davis. Playing treated-harp on ‘Coma Kiss,’ as well as providing utterly sublime backing vocals, Davis was initially enlisted by producer Siegal to play harp on a couple songs. When she spontaneously began singing harmony vocals during a rehearsal of ‘Coma Kiss,’ Martin and Siegal were floored. Davis ended up singing and playing harp on much of the album. Her shimmering harp playing and stunning vocal contributions are perfectly situated on Wandercease, elevating its intriguing blend of homespun Americana, processed rhythms and warm electronic touches.