Kaki King: Glow
Kaki King: Glow– Having released four subsequent studio albums already, Kaki King has taken on new approach to her completely instrumental album, Glow. A collection of twelve cinematic soundscapes in which she highlights string arrangements and harmony. The largest difference in this approach is how she has given up the focal points of her usual intertwining melodic ideas in order to give more room to build lush soundscapes over the course of the album.
However, there are definitely many elements that are unique to King’s style. The album is saturated with intricate guitar work and her percussive style of playing still resonates strongly. Such as in ‘Kelvinator, Kelvinator’, the former drummer displays her ability to play with ideas that are not only melodically and harmonically stimulated but rhythmically as well. The subtle percussion accents her rhythmic ideas as she bobs and weaves over her guitar.
After a few listens, this album has quickly become a fall favorite. King comes back to her folkloric roots on tracks such as ‘Great Round Burn’, ‘Bowen Island’, and ‘King Pizel’. Being the virtuosic guitarist that she is, she expands on these folkloric styles with cascading string arrangements and tasteful guitar work. Glow paints a somber picture of serene soundscapes crossing over from one track to the next. The organic flow of this album is seamless as each track leads into the next. Glow is definitely a reflection of King’s past works as she takes herself back to a simpler time while still somehow managing to reinvent the wheel…9/10