TOM MOORE & ARCHIE MOSS
Spectres (tommoorearchiemoss.com)
Englishmen Tom Moore (viola, electronics) and Archie Moss (accordion, electronics) turn folk music on its head and back again on Spectres, one of the most thrillingly original instrumental albums I’ve heard in quite a while. The pair are both steeped in traditional English folk music, but there is something startlingly modern about these 11 short melodic pieces. Some explore classical minimalist ideas, some are structured like epic instrumental club tracks, and a few are shimmering, droning, dark-edged glides through natural or man-made environments. I really can’t say it better than this grab from the release notes: “The distinct pulse and intuition of trad-music haunts their playing as they continue to quietly reconsider English instrumental music, listening and responding to the world around them as much as their musical ancestors.” Perfect.
Best Albums of 2020 Reviews Index
