Review Summary: Fortunately Wisp manages to reinvent himself substantially, but only later suffers a downturn due to the lack of consistency and a scatter shot of ideas.
Wisp or Will-o'-the-wisp is known in folklore as floating ball of light. It can be attached to many different medians, books as in fantasy, mythology, video games (Warcraft Series, etc). Wisp in the music scene is known as Reid Dunn, who has just started gaining recognition due to his work finally being released on albums instead of mp3 releases. His first such release and label debut would be
NRTHNDR in 2005, despite the new support the album really wasn’t anything to wonder about. It was boring and contrived since it was quite as uneventful as you can get with IDM. Dunn’s sophomore effort
Honor Beats would be obvious improvement over the mediocre debut that he churned out only a few months before. Adding a few odd instrumental pieces to compliment the IDM beats – they gain recognition, life, and instantly more fleshed out due to various instrumental appearances; comparable to Aaron Funk for his interesting approaches in the IDM genre, but Dunn isn’t nearly as break beat heavy as the man I just spoke of. In all actuality he is quite the opposite, Dunn’s work isn’t hard pressed or in your face and instead takes rhythm or movement of a piece and works towards gradually improving it, which is why it’s so enjoyable to listen too. Dunn has been able to evolve since his first incarnation in 2005, much like other artists in the genre that end up finding success, he too must develop and expand his repertoire.
Honor Beats was the first sign of him evolving in a more complete IDM artist, mixing electronic and ambient soundscapes, riddled with beautiful drum breaks you would be accustomed to hearing by Venetian Snares or Aphex Twin.
Too much of my delight Wisp starts out with a more moody sound, not as elaborate as you would expect, but the electronic force that accompanies a steady, yet able beat is serene and genuinely addictive. Still ever-present are the short thrills of sequences with peculiar instrumentals creeping ever so slightly as they were in
Honor Beats. More interestingly enough is the fact Dunn hasn’t really chosen to keep to his roots. His overall aesthetic movements aren’t nearly driven as they once were with his drum breaks. It has become clear that Dunn’s ambient feel as loose as it is, works wonders for the entire album and only strengthen the individual songs themselves, but it would seem that this would end up becoming a detriment as well.. “Keeper of The Hills” can be a clear indicator for what I’ve been babbling about. It isn’t IDM heavy whatsoever, yet there are signs of his older self fleshing out, only hidden under the ambient surface and light flute repetition. The continuing tradition of his new found tools are evident in “Seaway Trail”. Focusing on the electronic progressions more fluently then the previous tracks Dunn really seems to have gone out on a limb on this.
The Shimmering Hour may feel like a model on first listen, but it really is ideas scattered throughout 14 tracks. Suffering from these scattered ideas is the listener himself. Dunn is clearly trying to find his way through this and there are some authentically great moments, but it just may be too long for us to tolerate.
Reid Dunn may be treading on familiar territory as far as many are concerned, like his contemporaries (in the IDM genre) and similar artists of his slowly developing style (Tycho, Boards of Canada) it truly isn’t far to blast him for trying such a thing.
The Shimmering Hour isn’t completely different from his previous albums, but a step forward. While he does take all of what was right in previous albums and enhances the subtle atmospheres that go along with them, it becomes problematic of how long this journey may feel. Clearly
The Shimmering Hour will be looked at as an experiment then the true sound of what may come in future releases. It would seem laughable to label Wisp as a IDM artist completely now, as he has nearly trashed his first wonders and embraced the world of ambient and electronic soundscapes, albeit not as heavy or layered, you still take notice of the similar impressions.
