Ezekiel Honig – Folding in on Itself

This album made me sleep… “Does it mean it’s boring?” said dumbass #1… Quiet!

Sorry about that. It might not sound as the best description of an album ever. Sleep is almost always related to the sense of boredom, but…

“but it has beats!” cried dumbass #2, in his attempt to outwit #1

THAT IS THE LAST TIME ANY OF YOU WILL BE INTERRUPTING ME!

I apologise yet again. It’s just that most people are too quick to generalise these days, to jump into conclusions without having enough substance to support them. Every instrumental album is post rock, any album that sounds a bit off is experimental (or avant-garde for extra coolness points) and if an album name comes up next to the word sleep in any sentence, then it must be uninteresting. Granted there is a multitude of examples out there that would give that last generalization an air of truthfulness, however, there are lots that would more than contradict that, and in the case of Ezekiel Honig’s latest effort, it is definitely the latter.

‘Folding in on itself’ is an album that would delight music critics and enthusiasts alike. An album that is easy on the ears yet offers plenty of food for thought, a consortium of sounds and ideas, of composition and sound art. It has flow, finesse, yet without playing it safe or lacking any personality.

Fact: Ambient music is pretty easy to make. Another Fact: Good ambient music is hard as hell to make.

How many albums that are tagged as “ambient” do we listen to that sound exactly the same? The same chord progressions, synthesizer pads used, sound sources, same old guitar sound with n number of delay and reverb pedals on top, with one mood prevailing throughout the album. In my case, much more than I could ever ask for.

Thing is, with the tools that technology has given to aspiring musicians these days, it is very easy for one to get fooled into thinking they made a proper album, tag it as ambient and release it, all in a fortnight, quite convenient. On the other hand, we have people like Mr. Honig here, who on listening to the album over and over again, one can sense the effort that has been put into it. The fact that he uses everything from street sounds to wooden percussive instruments to processed guitars, all placed so naturally together takes ‘Folding in on Itself” to a whole new level.

And yes, there are beats as previously inferred, but their repetition, tones and burial within the vast soundscape take the sound to the realm of the spiritual. There is an acute intelligence in the song writing and one that should be respected. The album moves and refuses to remain within the same area for too long. The more active songs are balanced by the percussion-less ones, for every harsh sound there is a gentle piano line or a few guitar notes somewhere within the album, and for every noisy street there is an endlessly peaceful landscape.

A good album takes step forwards rather than stagnates and a good artist is the one that knows where to direct that motion. In introducing the album as one that made me fall asleep, I meant it in all gratitude. In taking me where I wanted to go exactly. It also worked in every other place I listened to it in, such is its versatility. I hope you got my point.

“I definitely did” murmured the first
No you didn’t
“No, I didn’t…

- Review by Mohammed Ashraf for Fluid Radio

Available through Stashed Goods

www.ezekielhonig.com
www.typerecords.com