Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

The Dead Company - Four Horses

5/27/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Dead Company

Four Horses
ZBM Recordings; 2014


3.4 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The Dead Company is the solo project for Jon Bushaway. Apparently over the last fifteen years he has produced four hundred and fifty tracks. His most recent recording is entitled Four Horses, which is a sprawling, dark, ambient album that is a little under seventy minutes in length. It was originally one piece of music but eventually split into five. 

Right off the bat I think it goes without saying that this is music that you have to be in the mood for. Even for ambient music it is rather minimal. There are only a couple of different elements to each song and there aren’t any distinct changes. The music is less dynamic than a group like Stars Of The Lid or Mountains but more trance-like and hypnotic. It’s contemplative music that contains so much melancholy it almost feels detached.

The first track “Four Horses” is the shortest of the five pieces. It didn’t have as much emotional resonance as some of the other tracks but contained spoken lyrics, which helped the sparse piano. The lyrics are on the verge of a mythological and biblical allegory. He says, “For here there are four horses Which will you choose to ride One that will take you places And stay there by your side.”

The second song “and it will all be gone” works better than the first. He utilizes pads that float in and out of existence and places vocal samples that sound like someone giving an emergency announcement over a ham radio. The vocal sample works well because you can’t hear what is being said. Brief waves of sound dance like whimsical fairies but an ominous undercurrent does occasionally manifest. The song gets more intense and layered as it progresses. 

“More Horses” contains drones of angelic pads that instill a sense of tranquil reverence. As with the previous track his vocal samples work. This time they seem to have a slight delay and are panned hard left and right. “A Better Man on a Better Day” showcases a return to piano. The lyrics are intensely dark and despondent. He says, ”So here is where I am a useless waste of a man The fingers don't stop pointing The pain inside just growing.” He closes with the most dissonant and alien sounding track entitled “Your Horses.”

I don’t think Four Horses will be playing during happy hour but it has its place. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band
© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact