Search - Peter Broderick, Amanda Lawrence, Skyler Norwood :: Float

This is the debut full-length release from Oregon's Peter Broderick. In the last few years, the world has seen its fair share of musicians give up the trusty guitar in favor of the piano, the banjo and even the French horn, but rarely do we find a musician who seems so perfectly suited to any and every instrument he cares to try. Float is the ideal showcase for Broderick's well-honed instrumental talents, blending his love of folk music, classical music and good old-fashioned indie-pop. After the release of his Docile EP on cult Swedish label Kning Disk, there was no doubting his piano playing skills, but here we see the piano joined by violins, cello, drums, banjo, guitar, vocals and so much more, resulting in a dense and varied collection of tracks. An easy comparison might be Efterklang, the Danish band who Peter currently performs with, but Float could just as easily be linked to the work of Max Richter, Sylvain Chauveau and the Portland, Oregon scene which birthed him. Float is an album which has a definite narrative -- a fan of film and film soundtracks, Peter decided early on to make an album which was not simply a collection of random tracks. Themes appear and reappear, motifs signal different acts and characters, sometimes in the shape of instruments themselves, dropping in and out as if through some thick French cigarette smoke. Even the titles of the tracks tell a story, and as you listen to the album, subconsciously you follow a captivating broad narrative arc that links each piece together. This is thoughtful, carefully-constructed, significant new music from a young talent who is quickly catching on fire.