We previously featured Martin Lloyd Howard when he found inspiration from the Ancient Greek goddess of the moon for his cinematic composition, Selene, so when we heard that the talented artist and composer was back with Rapids, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Drawing us in with the signature emotive intricacy that we have come to expect, Rapids opens with serene arpeggios with hypnotic repeated notions. The timbre switches up to a more brooding energy before delicate, almost Spanish guitar elements tap into our heart centre mid-way through the opus.
The dimensionality is heavily present as the composition goes through unique transitions, tapping into the ebbs and flows of the element of water. There is a consistency yet change is present. We appreciate the full circle notions of the piece, which is truly comprised of four sections in total, the first and last reflecting each other.
We could imagine Rapids as the score of a film like Peaceful Castle Lake, The Motorcycle Diaries, Into The Wild, or Inside Llewyn Davis.
Speaking on the release with conceptual depth, Martin confesses, “It started life as an exercise for left hand fretboard stretching and building little finger strength and dexterity. But it developed into a full piece that became reminiscent of a river foaming over rapids, then eddying and pooling into a smoother flow, before reverting to streaming over rocks and rapids.”
What we deeply connect with is how the natural elements play into Martin Lloyd Howard’s sonic universe. The British composer elaborates, “It is quite fast-paced but has a soothing, almost hypnotic vibe to help listeners imagine themselves by a riverside. It is one of a series of original pieces to help fill what I see as a bit of a gap in the market for new, accessible music for classical/nylon guitars.”
Martin Lloyd Howard is an English guitarist with classical training. He has expanded his style into folk, blues, and rock with his main instrument being a 50-year-old handcrafted classical guitar, although he also plays electric, steel-string acoustic and slide guitar. Martin has collaborated with several artists, including Mark Johnson of the Kent-based band The Midnight River Crew.
We are in awe, as always, and have added Rapids to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream Martin Lloyd Howard‘s exquisite, growing discography, and anticipate future releases from the artist.