Kelvin Smith Lapis Lazuli

This is the second album on the EMMA label and another worthy release it is too. The name Kelvin Smith rang a bell with me but I couldn’t place it at first, then I remembered, long term SMD member and all round good stick Bob Saker had mentioned him to me as one to look out for. He was right, this is a lovely release. Tracks two and three are upbeat but really the overall feeling of the album is one of sitting in a hammock letting the world float by. Tranquil waves of sound start the album off in a very relaxed way before we get into the first proper track ‘In Motion’. This is a real sequential / rhythmic chugger. The beat is very infectious and I really found my feet moving to it. ‘Peacock Throne’ makes use of a metallic sounding sequence with a melody dancing over the top which is over all too soon. ‘Kimberlite’ and ‘Ego Omnia’ are the ideal sort of tracks to play on a lazy summers day. They are slow paced with a lovely piano melody being the main feature of the former and hazy chords the latter. I just wish I was sitting somewhere hot watching the waves slowly rolling in. ‘Earth’s Long Winter’ and ‘Mountain of Light’ are also soothing numbers but as the titles suggests this time an Alpine slope would be a more appropriate image. ‘Splendor Solis / Transition’ is gently rhythmic but will not exactly build up a sweat. The title track continues the sleepy theme and if you are not as relaxed as my cat Grizzly after a whole can of whiskers lying by a warm open fire by now then you are in need of serious medical attention. (DL)

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