Jordan White - Music For Imaginary Spaces [Aut Records 152]

Released via the Italian Aut Records label on May 16th, 2k26 is "Music For Imaginary Spaces", the new and rather conceptual album affair conceived, composed and in parts programmed by Jordan White and brought to life with the help of a small ensemble of musicians. Informed by White's long lasting study of unusual and intense reverb environments, music written for specific architectural spaces and analysis of ancient vocal cuts from both Byzantine as well as Armenia the eleven pieces on this album follow these ideas and insights over the course of approx. 51 minutes, yet transfer them into a level of imagination and non-existence, opening with the reverberating airflows and sustained, in parts klaxon'esque trombone x horn combinations of "Left Arm Orthodox" which tell sonic tales of loss and great tragedy accompanied by intricately layered guitar arrangements with an almost balearic vibe whereas the subsequent "Stuck In A Giant Tape Machine" explores twangy, slightly dubbed out and ever corresponding lines fusing PopAmbient and Post-PostRock with deeply emotional Jazz outings and "Filters 6: Kaleidoscopic" fully enters the world of eerie, outerworldly UnAmbient scrapings and resonances which are - once again - saved and contrasted by White's restrained, yet masterfully executed guitar tones. With these three tracks paving the way for things to come we see the extended "I've Been In Similar Places" provide panoramic glacial Ambient brass dronings painting pictures of innate longing and melancholia stretched out over more than 12 minutes and therefore is our personal favorite on this longplay outing whilst the short skit that is "Brass Tube Reactions" weighs in a more gnarly, raw and fanfare'esque energy which would probably sit right in an underground sci-fi movie score of sorts whereas "Schattenlibelle" indulges in tender guitar minimalisms of rural quality and the "Soft Thumb Guitar Chorale" rounds things off in a playful, romantic and almost classic, and probably slightly kitschy..., vintage Jazz manner just to name a few. Good stuff Recommended for a reason,.