Dan Caine

Solace

Fluttery Records

Music as meditation. Many of us seek it – I know I’m always looking out and listening out for it, for the latest. Well, recently I’ve connected with this album by British-born, American-based guitarist Dan Caine.

He makes a tempered version of post-rock (his guitar tone and some of the motifs not too dissimilar from Kiwi act Into Orbit) but there’s no big driving rhythm section beneath, these are toe-in-the-water ripples of sound that slowly surge, whirlpools arrive through the repetition of these melodic mantras.

There are some purely solo pieces (Remnants) and others where programmed drums (Forsaken) and light percussion (Memories Fade) add to the reflection.

But Caine is at his best here when using the guitar to build layered, loops of sound – in the way that so many post-rock/ambient-metal guitarists have. The moody ruminations of Lost for example, a flicker of flame licks at the main motif, lovely slow-burn circles of sound.

It’s the sort of album you could sit and listen to for the guitar playing or you could drift off to, let the overall sound waft over you.

You put this on at the end of your day at work, you light the candle – either metaphorically or literally, pour your particular dram and kick your shoes off, have this as the soundtrack to rest your weary soul.

Or you listen to this as the sun first peeks in for the day. Sounds of serenity. I’m always looking for them. Always listening out. This one, from the ever-dependable Fluttery label, is my new (latest) favourite. You might like it too.
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