Rhodium is a Brooklyn-based boutique record label and publishing house founded by pianist/composer Anna Yarbrough that specializes in instrumental and modern-classical music. The new year has seen a flurry of activity with several new artists joining the fold including London-based composer & multi-instrumentalist Ben Moore, aka BPMoore, whose full-length debut album Komorebi comes out on this Friday (April 17). The title is taken from a Japanese word roughly translated to English as ‘sunlight filtering through the trees’ or ‘dappled sunlight’. The characters that make it up actually convey the the notion of light escaping, which seems an apt metaphor for the life-affirming beauty that infuses the music on the album which has its roots in processing personal loss and coping with inner demons yet brims with hope and a sense of renewal.
Moore taps into a broad range of inspirations, referencing artists like Thomas Newman, Trent Reznor, and Mark Hollis (Talk Talk) as influential on his style. And, while comparing emerging neoclassical artists with Olafur Arnalds is arguably becoming a bit passé, the parallel here is striking with both artists having started out as drummers on the heavy end of the pop/rock spectrum before making a transition to modern classical composition that feels natural right from the outset. There are fleeting moments on Komorebi that may be unmistakably reminiscent of some of Arnalds’ work, but there is a buoyancy and optimism to these songs that is rare in the genre with a grand sweep and an irresistibly infectious energy that builds when Moore reaches a gallop on the drums, piano, and strings all at the same time.
“Emotionally, I feel there are different moments within the album. Komorebi conveys this realization of gratitude, an uplifting appreciation within it. Life isn’t always about that kind of realization or feeling, not for me anyway, so I feel the album has different tones within it—anguish to elation—but all from a deeply honest and natural place.” – BPMoore (read full interview here)
Links: Bandcamp | BPMoore | Rhodium Publishing
A little hope and optimism can’t possibly go amiss these days, so I highly recommend introducing yourself to Ben’s music and Rhodium’s growing catalog whenever you are in need of a lift. Komorebi will be available beginning April 17, 2020 on limited edition CD & digital featuring photography by Rebecca Wolf.
