Sound Impression: From Water by Paddy Mulcahy [Phases Records]

A little over a year after his patient fusion of close mic’ed solo piano with delicate synthesizer constructions on The Words She Said (reviewed here), Irish-born, Montreal-based composer/producer Paddy Mulcahy returns with an enigmatic foray into finespun electronica & percussion in the form a striking five-track EP entitled From Water. It begins with the shimmering “You Could Walk Across the Shannon” which treads a fine line between hope & melancholy in keeping with what Mulcahy sought to put across in the song.

“‘You Could Walk Across The Shannon’ is about overcoming the impossible. It’s a musical representation of being an underdog in a vicious race; it’s the rare ability to walk across a riverbed at low-tide. I want to inspire people who are suffering, people who are sad and feel like there’s no point. This music was inspired by nature, people and overcoming my depression.” – Paddy Mulcahy in DJ Mag, 03/09/2018

‘Krieks’ is a haunting & hypnotic beauty which features a guest vocal loop appearance by Canadian fiddler, singer, & composer Qristina Brooke who also contributed the cover art. The colorful oscillations of “Six Red Pipes” and the deliberately off-kilter syncopations of “Glasgow” show Mulcahy’s adroitness with electronic sketch-work while the piano-led closer “À Tantôt” (‘see you later‘) ends on a tenderly wistful note. For such a modest package, From Water offers a great deal for the discerning listener to unpack and appreciate.