Reeves, Daniel: You and I

You and I is a solo project of Daniel Reeves created between June and November of 2010. The album was originally designed to work with a collaboration project with Daniel's brother, James Reeves. James created video to accompany Daniel's music for an Art Institute of Seattle project. The 'You and I' video project is still in the making and expected to be completed in 2011, with no official release date yet.

Daniel's first memory of playing music was beating on a small drum set at the age of three. He tried to play beats to songs from movies like Rocky and Top Gun. His parents are also musicians and so he was encouraged to try to learn a number of instruments including guitar, piano, keyboards, cello and drums. His mother, Laura Casale, a singer, composer and pianist taught Daniel how to play piano. He later went on to play with several local bands over the years. This EP is his first attempt to bring his music to the ears of a larger audience.

This is a great, mostly instrumental movie soundtrack, themed EP, and good debut to showcase Daniel's talent. Daniel's electronic moods and guitar support make a perfect soundtrack for video productions and to listen to in the stillness of your headphones.

'The Tide' opens with one of the best guitar/keyboard launches I've heard this year. It sounds very original, but could be imagined as part of either the 'Blade Runner' or 'Tron' soundtracks. Very cool dark keys and heavy guitar are augmented with electronic sounding drums and keyboard effects rushing around the sci – fi like soundscape.

'Our Eyes' is full of waves of bass, keyboards and sound effects that wash all over the soundscape as the vocals begin, "You tell me all the things that you can see. Blind am I to push away what I need". This track has a similar sound and feel, but not as hard as Filter's 'Hey Man, Nice Shot', with lead electric guitar playing the primary role. It also has some similarities to trance like music. Daniel's vocals are distinctive and subdued on this track. The grinding flow of the guitars juxtaposed to the keys bleeding out and surrounding them is a very cool effect.

'In Time' is an instrumental piece full of trip hop rhythms and sounds of percussion with surrounding keys and effects. Halfway through the song, the sound gets almost inaudible before the electronic drums bring back the sound of all sorts of percussion rhythms and keyboard effects that then surround the soundscape.

'A.H.O.C. (A Heart of Creativity)' has a long 15 seconds of near silence to open the song, as the keys and guitar slowly get added in layers and waves, creating an interesting and ever changing effect, keeping the listener interested and entertained.

'Mirror' opens with all sorts of electronic sound effects and heavy bass sounding keys which provide a dark backdrop as the electronic drums take off. This track has more of a trip hop influence along with some great Stuart Copeland – like drumming. The guitar that is laid over the top adds a balancing and stabilizing force that then flows down the center of the soundscape. The effect is like a car racing through the center of a street with all sorts of lights and activity surrounding it.

Daniel's vocals open 'You Are the Sun', "You are the sun now shine in my life", while cool high and low bell like keys bounce around the soundscape as diligent percussion, bass and electric guitars set a solid rhythm through the middle. One of the best tracks and most interesting sounding effects on the EP.

'In Between' has another 17 second almost inaudible opening before some keyboard and other sound effects open the track. The echoing guitar chords are a cool addition that come and go as a solid bass seems to set the standard before the full key arrangement blurs through. The track has a modern tunnel train passing through gates electronic vibe.

"I Am', the closer, opens with wonderful piano notes as the song's melody slowly emerges. Then Daniel, "Please tell me what I'm missing. I need to learn to listen.

But you should see the light of day. Because you are...falling away. Stripping away. Falling away and I am tearing away". The keys and percussion effects create an electronic trance to fill the piece.

Track Listing
1 The Tide
2 Our Eyes
3 In Time
4 A.H.O.C.
5 Mirror
6 You Are the Sun
7 In Between
8 I Am

Added: July 9th 2011
Reviewer: Mark Johnson
Score:
Related Link: Artist Website
Hits: 1751
Language: english

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