Toronto-based Danielle Sum took much of the inspiration for her debut album, Still, Softness, from a series of faith-based tattoos. That this body art leans toward Christianity as opposed to skulls, dice or mudflap girls adds some thematic density to the work. And that’s all the more relevant when noting the record’s description as a “sonic weighted blanket.” Not only is our serotonin being coaxed toward a spike, but it’s happening amid ceaseless marimba. Because, as a classically trained percussionist, Sum favors the timbre of this idiophone when crafting her brand of indie folk; leaning heavily on its interplay with vocals, strings and a glockenspiel.
Over the course of 17 minutes, we’re treated to delicate, often spindly constellations of music. While the delivery is, at times, detached, the vibe is akin to comfortable tranquilization. Sum isn’t putting down a wearied horse so much as she’s massaging the listener through a series of ice-clear movements. If that sounds a bit too tundral, rest assured that the formula works. This is a reflective pool of notes, barely thawed yet tightly choreographed; a post-emotional communion with truest faith, inked or otherwise. Our first glimpse, “Through The Open Door,” boasts a near-a cappella intro over a single quivering note. That is, until the composition blooms into a homeopathic dirge. “A beautiful grace surrounds me / And I dive in ” Sum chants, presumably taking the hands of believers and other curious naturalists. By “Of Ravens and Lilies,” the palette expands – ever so slightly – into a gentle, music box arrangement. There exists a tender, almost vulnerable air in this lyrical entwining of parent and child; an innocent lullaby spooning the reality of ensuing senescence. So when Sum proclaims “Your life is fuller than you know,” the decree is steeped in such emotional heft that the weight of its simplicity is suffocating. “What The Sunflowers See” is an ambling melody. Held together by occasional twinkles, it is richened by a resonant, yet unobtrusive, string arrangement. And the vocal outro is, in the realist sense, pretty. In fact, Sum finds her voice toward the end of the album. Or, at very least, sweetens it to enhance the intimacy of this experience. We may not be holding hands, but we’re no longer watching from the treetops either. “Heart of Hearts” the final track, progresses in this very vein. And just like that, the ice starts to drip. Water, Spring, rebirth. Overall, Still, Softness brings instructional relaxation to an adequate futon. It beats a night in the haystacks, and shines in the peculiar way that aloofness – beautiful when distilled – can awaken the heart. Plus, what kind of maniac shuns the potential of a weighted blanket? Get comfortable.
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