Drawing us in with textured nature sounds at the beach as he sets up a tripod, expanding with intricate piano keys, Noah Crist opens Welcome to Loch Raven with a meditative energy and cinematic allure. The piano performance expands with a high emotional quotient and bolder notes as we are invited into a more dramatic universe.
We appreciate the rolling arpeggios which match the sounds of the waves, and connect with the timelessness of the composition, tapping into classical notions. The sound of the waves pulls out briefly as the opus evolves with dynamism. We are met with bird sounds that further amplify the organic experience of the composition.
There is no doubt that Welcome to Loch Raven would be a great fit for a sync placement in a show like Sirens on Netflix, or Nine Perfect Strangers on Amazon Prime. We could also imagine the track being featured in a Sofia Coppola or Luca Guadagnino production.
The climax of the piece mid-way through is a memorable moment before tapping into a more serene and zen energy, rebuilding with a poetic crescendo. We learn that Welcome to Loch Raven marks a creative reset for the Baltimore composer, who stepped away from the intensity of completing his first symphony to embrace a more spontaneous way of making music.
This feels refreshing and important at a time when we need organic music the most. After spending “hundreds of hours writing, recording, and producing my first symphony,” Noah Crist explains that he “was kind of burnt out” and wanted to create something “that was not as high stakes and that I could really have fun with.”
Welcome to Loch Raven is inspired by field recording creators such as Charles Rose. Noah was captivated by the idea of simply going outside and capturing whatever unfolded naturally. As Noah puts it, “Field recording artists really do just go out to places, set up their equipment, and see what happens,” describing the practice as “super beautiful” because it allows artists to immerse themselves in the world instead of chasing the highly curated nature of much of the music industry.
The main build of the piece is curtailed about seven and a half minutes into the piece; it abruptly switches tempo into a more minimalistic energy which runs through to the final moments of the song, allowing introspection for both artist and listener where Noah removes his tripod and walks away.
For some context, the piece is deeply connected to Loch Raven Reservoir, a location that carries both personal and historical significance for the composer. Every environmental sound was captured on location using a Zoom H4N Pro recorder with omnidirectional lapel microphones, allowing Noah to record the landscape from every direction.
He recalls, “I set up everything on a tripod and walked away from it… letting the mics capture the world around it without me being nearby to disturb the peace.” The reservoir itself is a place filled with childhood memories, as Noah remembers hiking there with his father. He describes the work as “relaxation and immersion to the max,” encouraging us to “throw on a good set of headphones, lay down and close your eyes,” promising that “by the time you get to the end of the piece, you will definitely feel calmer and more grounded.”
Needless to say, we feel grounded and zen, and have added Welcome to Loch Raven to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Noah Crist, including Rotations, and A Dance for Space.