Even with a thesaurus ever just a mouse-click away, one begins to run out of superlatives to describe the music of Aaron Martin. Perhaps it is the unpretentious, organic beauty. Perhaps it is sublime balance between the earthly and the empyrean. Perhaps it is simply that truth resonates in each handmade note, of which not one is ever wasted. If you have heard Aaron’s work, you know exactly what I mean. If you have not, then a wonderful starting point would be his contribution to Touch Dissolves, the album portion of sixth edition of IIKKI Books in which volume is presented as a dialog between two artists, one visual and one musical (the visuals in this edition are provided by Turkish photographer Yusuf Sevinçli).
Links: Bandcamp (CD/LP) | IIKKI Books | Aaron Martin | Yusuf Sevinçli
These songs are among the most graceful and melodious we’ve heard yet from Aaron, and that is saying something. Somehow both ornate and sparing, he weaves a quietly stunning tapestry here braided with his distinctive cello and golden threads of sundry other acoustic instrumentation intertwined with delicate strands of electronics and voice. One by one, each piece sprouts otherworldly beauty from pastoral roots while the melancholy is bone-deep. Whether as accompaniment for the visual feast of the book or on its own, this celestial music shaped from rustic elements makes for a profound listening experience.
The album portion of Touch Dissolves is available on both black vinyl LP (limited to 300 copies) and CD (limited to 200 copies) as well as digital download. The hand numbered & hand stamped 96-page hardcover book is limited to 500 copies. These items can be purchased separately or in bundles (see links above).
Stationary Travels 