dark shadows in happy places by Slow Draw: Album Review

by Damien Reid January 17, 2023

January 17, 2023

dark shadows in happy places by Slow Draw: Album Review

Ambient and avant-garde cohesively exist in Slow Draw’s album “dark shadows in happy places.” Every aspect of this thirteen-track journey encompasses light drone music, and meditative soundscapes to keep you company.

Slow Draw’s music is very experimental, I must say. I’d listen to the artist’s songs while sipping a cup of green tea. Once in a while, certain genres of music enter and take over the creative aspects of noise. But don’t picture traffic noises! So, the dark and moody aura of “sun rising in an acid sky” is quite riveting. Incorporating this almost space-like trippiness, the tune gravitates toward one’s consciousness. Returning to my hypothesis about noise music, it appears that this song, as well as the majority of the others on the album, takes control of non-musical sounds and captures a delicate melody. Just when I thought the relaxing qualities of darkness had disappeared, “glitter doesn’t work in dirt” appeared. It’s a psychedelic ambient composition with light keys thrown in for good measure.

I was quite impressed by the song titles from the album, such as “ice cream dropped on the floor.” Just looking at the title made me reminisce about the sadness one feels when that actually happens. Also, a Japanese style of poetry called “Haiku” captures life in its truest form. The names of the songs had this interesting amalgamation of the natural world, and everyday actions revolving around it. Coming back to the track mentioned earlier, it was one of the brighter and lullaby-Esque tunes from the album, which had a lovely cadence.