Based in the UK and currently living in the town of Devon, Simon Hurst is a modern classical composer with plenty of experience making instrumentals under his belt. Prior to his newest full-length release, From Here To Here, Hurst has played for orchestras as well as bands ranging from progressive rock to post-punk. In addition to that, he has written songs and jingles. However, you won’t find any lyrics on this record, just instrumental jazz and progressive rock.
The genesis for this new effort, I feel, is definitely very captivating. Recorded in his home studio using Cubase Pro 11 and a number of VSTs, the core idea behind From Here To Here is variation. More specifically, after Hurst discovered a new sample library, he realized he had a song in his hands, and eventually, he had the idea to experiment with changing certain elements of the original song until he wound up with something completely different. This idea is truly fascinating; I love to think of it as a set of mutations that a virus would go through. I know that sounds morbid, but trust me, it’s an apt comparison. This record begins with “From Here …” and ends with “... To Here.” The first iteration of Hurst’s instrumental passage shows orchestral finesse. It has all sorts of horns, woodwinds and string sounds. This sort of lush overture really captured my attention and had me wondering: which of these seven different variations would I be enjoying the most? Let’s begin with the first variation “From Here …” With this one, the orchestral instruments are still there, but now I hear a pipe organ playing. It’s not too often I hear that instrument being played in an album, so I already think this is pretty cool. The second variation appears to be guided by keys and twinkly synthesizers. Whereas “Variation 1” had me feeling like I was listening to The Phantom of the Opera, this one sounds rather triumphant. Up next is the third variation. “Cosmic circus” seems to be an apt descriptor of this, except for the waves of guitar distortion in the beginning. I thought this variation’s middle section was the best. Those sparkling, twinkling sound effects were very impressive! “Variation 4” switches it up by adding some dense drum tones and a ‘60s rock-influenced rhythm. The energy of this Booker T-adjacent piece is unmatched, and it just so happens to be my favorite so far. Guitars rollick. Synths simmer. It’s an all-around great tune capped off by a Guitar Hero-worthy outro. The waltz-like “Variation 5” plays around with a ¾ time signature, whereas the sixth variation is the least memorable of the bunch. This one just blends in too much. Once I got to Hurst’s final destination, “... To Here,” I was reminded of when I was younger, watching that episode of Arthur where Arthur has to write a story for class and changes his original story so many times that it becomes astronomically different. His draft goes from a slice-of-life dog story to an out-of-this-world country song about a pet elephant. That’s exactly how I felt when listening to the last variation; it was pretty cool to see it progress into what it is now-- a soulful mid-tempo number drizzled in cosmic synths - but knowing what it was before makes me want to hear the simpler first draft more. That said, there were some very solid ideas on this latest project from Simon Hurst, and the eclectic but always experimental focus of it is a crucial selling point. For those who are very adventurous with the music they listen to, I’d definitely recommend listening to From Here To Here. It will take you on a journey for sure.
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