Phillip Presswood - Fire in the Sky

Phillip Presswood

Fire in the Sky
self-released; 2008

3.7 out of 5

By Ethan Skelton

Are you ready for a spiritual awakening? Fire in the Sky has a very cinematic and enveloping nature to it, very engaging on levels deeper than your usual album fare. You can’t ignore the power of a certain evoking of the consciousness. Phillip Presswood’s music is rich and textural and yet beautifully simple. The feelings are far more complex than any of the gorgeous progressions or motifs could truly capture. The sound glides like an eagle with the beauty of mass choir reverb and soaring chords.

Anyone would associate this kind of experience with Enya and while I’d agree, Presswood brings less Celtic influence and more first millennium composition. Those archaic ideas and monophonic passages are given new life with this excellently mixed modern adaption. And for those that love a good visual, take a look at the album art. The colors and range of light are astoundingly surreal and drive the mind to expand as if it were equally infinite. Try not to float away.

The album gets its name from the brilliant opening track and I have no reservations in saying it was a more than a fine choice. The song resonated through me unlike the rest with its wonderfully soothing character and decorative melancholy. The cellos sigh with might below the voices of angelic tenor and dreamy ivory. This is truly a work of art.

As the album unfolds, there are pockets of movement that feel like Moby or Owl City, spicing up the soundscape with subtle percussion and modern audio effects. With the elongated structure and giant hall sound, these songs can’t help but ring out in epic fashion. Almost every cut could aurally narrate a heavenly imagination or fantastical inclination. This album would be right at home amidst something like The Lord of the Rings.

“Coming Down With The Rain” opens with a distantly cooing flute articulating embellishments of the old world. The melody is in good hands as the harp comes in for support. In the end, this sticks in the mind like a group madrigal or hymn. The raw power of this style is how it becomes a communal experience even if it is just in the mind. As I said earlier, Fire in the Sky might be your ticket to a newfound spirit. It exemplifies music’s magical effects on mood and mindset like only so few have before.

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